Notional Disability Insurance Agency

GPO Box 700 CANBERRA ACT 2601 1800 800 110 ndis.gov.au

Thank you for your email of 16 September 2020 to the Hon. Stuart Robert MP, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, about the process for Independent Assessments. The Minister has asked me to reply on his behalf. The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) knows independent assessments are a big change for people applying to access the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and for existing participants. The Agency acknowledges your concern about the potential for inaccurate assessments to permanently affect ‘reasonable and necessary’ decisions. The conversation about how these important changes will work is really just beginning. The NDIA is introducing independent assessments to make access and planning decisions for the NDIS more reliable, consistent and fair for everyone. The Agency has heard and responded to the feedback for the need for consistency in decision-making by the NDIS, and this has been the driving factor for undertaking our review of assessing functional capacity. The NDIA has worked with more than 40 peak health and disability bodies and been told that our current assessment process is complex, costly and often results in back and forth with participants to gain functional information. There is no consistency in the information or assessments provided by each participant, and this has made it difficult for the NDIA to collate, use and make decisions in a clear and consistent way. This has resulted in inconsistent decision-making and insufficient equity in participant access and plan funding decisions. The NDIA understands this is a source of stress and anxiety for many participants, at a time where they should be working to achieve their goals. As with any NDIA decision, if a participant doesn’t agree with the assessment decision, they can request a review. The approach and process to potentially revaluate a participant’s functional capacity is still yet to be finalised. This is why the NDIA made the decision to announce the introduction of independent assessments early, so that there would be time to work through the detail in close consultation with people with disability and representative organisations.

• It’s important to remember that an independent assessment is just one part of the information the Agency will use to help build an NOIS plan.
• Participants will be able to work with their planner to develop a plan that takes into account all aspects of their life.
• If a participant has other assessments they would like to provide, during the access and planning process, they can continue to do so.
• Most importantly, the new independent assessments are not designed to prescribe therapies and specific supports, or replace the role of health professionals currently assessing, determining and delivering these supports for a participant.
• The important relationship remains with a participant’s doctor or allied health professional. They will continue to be responsible for diagnosis and providing important information relating to their disability as part of the eligibility requirements. The NOIA is committed to continuing to consult with NOIS participants and the disability sector on the approach to introduce independent assessments. The Agency’s priority has always been and will continue to be, the welfare and continual improvement of the NOIS experience for all participants to ensure they receive the disability-related supports they need. There is still work to do before we implement independent assessments in 2021, and the NOIA want to make sure they are right for participants and their families. Over the coming months the NOIA will keep sharing more information about how the assessments will work on the NOIS website at: hhttps://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/independent-assessments Thank you again for writing. Yours sincerely General Manager Participant Experience Design National Disability Insurance Agency 22 October 2020