Submission: Capability and Culture of the NDIA

Debbie Hailes

Role – Carer/Healthcare worker

I have worked in public healthcare, both acute and sub-acute for over 22 years. This role was within the experience of those who use our services.

From a personal perspective, I was a carer for my mother who had multiple sclerosis and have recently been supporting a highly vulnerable member of the community within the NDIS scheme and have also commenced setting up a registered business in this area.

While providing feedback, the experiences above will be where I draw on information as well as my observations of vulnerability within the community.

a. The capability and culture of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), with reference to operational processes and procedures, and nature of staff employment.

The process only works if you have very capable people supporting you or you are a high functioning member of society.

Here are some examples:

ONLINE NDIS portal.

To download the app, you must have an android phone or an apple. A lot of highly vulnerable people don’t have this, they may have a KISA phone (which has no capacity for text messages etc) so to get a third party to download the app on the client’s behalf involves lots of confidentiality issues and it is really hard.

This is the same for a MYGOV app which apparently is required to get taxi funding paid into an account. Again, this involves a high level of technology and ability. Its not very user friendly.

The culture within the organisation

Impact of NDIA capability and culture on people with disability and NDIS participants accessing information, support and services from the Agency:

Observations regarding staff culture and organisational response:

The culture of the staff within the organisation is powerless.
There have been multiple issues where a reportable incident was reported with no response. When following up, being advised that ‘they are very busy’. This was an elder abuse issue and lack of care support issue for someone with an intellectual disability on his own.
There are a lot of people, a lot of departments but no one seems to know how it works. An example is ringing up to find out if Behaviour Support Therapy and review is included in the plan. The member of staff was really helpful but wasn’t sure so ‘could I look it up’. He was very quick though to ask me to complete the survey. The process is fraught and has the potential for mistakes to be made. The staff just don’t seem to have the level of expertise to assist or the ability to really follow through.
If you are using the enquiries@ndia. It works but again, if you are unable to or don’t have access to technology, this is not going to work for you.

Examples highlighting challenges faced by individuals trying to navigate NDIA systems:

I think plans are not managed well because no one knows how to work it out unless you are a big business and boy have they worked out how to charge for absolutely nothing.

I completed an introduction to NDIS so I could help my friend out more. The information and education materials were over five years old and some of it wasn’t relevant. I still could not work out how to use his funding properly.

Concerns regarding billing practices within the system:

The abuse on the accounts is just awful. There has been billing for reports where the client was never seen. A lot of it was cut and pasted from previous reports and no longer relevant, including a NOK being a parent that had died. It is pretty awful.
There seems to be a lot of access to funding however, no actual resources provided to the client.
A further example is being charged for 10 art sessions, with only 6 sessions for practical participation, 4 to write a report – this is $800 to write a report. It’s a lot of money to charge.

Support coordinator accessibility issues:

Support coordinators on most occasions are unhelpful and inaccessible. On one occasion we started asking for an OT and BSS (Behavioural Support Specialist) reviews. After two months of asking, he advised that there was a four month wait. I contacted two specialists and got an appointment the following week. He hadn’t looked into it at all.
The reason we had asked for a support coordinator was that this person is financially vulnerable/physically vulnerable. He needs financial intervention and support because there is housing that potentially could be taken away from him. Nothing has

been done. I am worried his home will be sold from under him and he will be placed in a compromising situation. I am sure that he is not alone.

c. any other relevant matters.

I watched the inception of this initiative with joy in my heart thinking that people who live in a space of difference would be able to be seen as the valuable members of community that they truly are. I think for some, this has happened but for others, hey are just living in the shadows with support that has no empathy or enthusiasm to provide love and life experiences. They will though, bill.

If I could change some things it would be:

Make everyone REGISTERD so you know that they have the skill set to be the best that they can be for everyone.
Provide an orientation module on how to read an NDIA plan and the practicabilities of it.
Technology should not be a barrier – sort this out.
Have a provider catchment reporting body where a centralised area is designed to store information about providers, resource tool for clients to find these providers in their area that are safe and ensure that care coordinators are working out of these catchments, so they actually know what’s available in the area. There needs to be a local area where you can physically go and get information brochures advice etc – it can’t always be on line. (Like Centrelink but one that actually bloody works as they are dreadful).

There needs to be a high vulnerability register where people are identified as at risk either to the community or within the community. There needs to be a high-level assessment of these people annually and ensure that they are fully tapped into services/providers/financial and psychological assistance. There are some very scary situations unfolding out there that with better support, these people can flourish.

If there were less rouges in the industry, staff would be better paid and better invested. Ensure that they are undertaking one day a year minimum of CPD training as once they are registered, they don’t bother to update with education and training. They would love it and staff would flourish as would the clients. I tried to organsie training for a complex client so that staff would feel confident with him. He has funding for it. The supplier didn’t want to.

I hope this helps. Regards Debbie Hailes