Re: Improving the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
From: “Bob Buckley (A4 Convenor)” Date: 13/10/2020, 5:24 pm To: National Disability Insurance Agency CC:
Dear Mr Hoffman I received my copy of your open leƩer to all NDIS parƟcipants at 4.02pm today. Throughout the leƥer, you use the term “independent assessments” despite the whole disability sector having advised you that the NDIA’s contracted assessments are not “independent”. InsisƟng on calling them “independent” when they are not independent at all is classic “Yes Minister” conduct. Your failure to acknowledge and refusal to respect the views of the disability community shows you are not interested in improving the NDIS for the people who depend on it. Notably, the Service Charter and Improvement Plan that you released in August also avoid recogniƟon and respect for the views of the disability sector. In your leƥer you say, “We’ve done this because we’ve heard from you …”. But clearly you have not heard from us – you listened very selecƟvely, and you are now using our words against us. Your message sends us a clear message that you are not interested in construcƟve feedback; that dissenƟng voice will not be heard. You claim that your changes will make the NDIS “simpler, faster and fairer”. That may be the case from your perspecƟve, but not from ours. For many people who currently qualify for the NDIS on the basis of an extensive and oŌen costly diagnosis process(es) for their ASD, the addiƟon of a further cursory funcƟonal assessment from an NDIA contracted assessor is further complicaƟon and delay: it is not simpler or faster. And when it delivers an outcome against access to the NDIS, it adds the further complicaƟon of an AAT appeal, a step that many people are not willing to take. This is very unfair. The only thing that “free” NDIA contracted assessors will do is someƟmes overturn ASD diagnoses (from expert clinicians who spent the Ɵme needed to complete an ASD diagnosis) that people have already paid for.
You say, “These assessors will all be trained in using the same set of assessment tools to make sure everyone is treated in a fair and consistent way”. In the disability sector we are extremely familiar with this concept, as the following well known figures show.
FOR A FAIR SELECT ION EVERY&OOY HAS TO TAKE THE SAME EXAM: PLEASE cum 8 THAT TREE
EQUALITY EQUITY
(Advocacy NDIA Implementation)
Your leÇer says, ‘The tools have been designed to assess the capability of people with disability and used all over the world for many years’. The NDIA has been mis-using the PEDI-CAT to ‘assess’ auÖsÜc children for years. New documents suggest you may use the PEDI-CAT ASD in future but the PEDI-CAT ASD is not ‘used all over the world’ because it sæll hasn’t been verified … and the NDIA is keeping its report from the AuÖsm CRC secret, which shows you already failed your No. 1 commitment in your new ‘ParÇipant service Charter’ to transparency.
Your claim that ‘If you do not agree with an NDIA decision from an independent assessment you can request a review or appeal’ shows you simply do not understand that many vulnerable people are simply unable to appeal NDIS decisions because it puts them in legal conflict with the Government. Many of them are not prepared to go there, so your acÇions to make this an essenÇial step for more NDIS parÇicipants is very unfair for the most vulnerable people who you are meant to be helping.
You claim, ‘You will sæll have choice over the providers and types of supports you need to pursue your goals’. Despite the issue having been raised repeatedly, NDIS LACs and planners are sæll telling auÖsÜc parÇicipants that ‘the NDIS does not fund ABA’, in other words they tell families that they do not have choice and they cannot access evidence-based best pracÇice. Of course, that is a lie: the AAT made rulings that require the NDIS to fund ABA at least for those who challenge the NDIS. There are also many secret AAT seÇlements where the NDIS pays for ABA … but the NDIS keeps them secret. So much for ‘transparency’.
The NDIA introduced its contracted assessments without proper consultaÇon. Rather than addressing issues, it is creaÇing issues.
You and the NDIA show that you are oblivious to construcÇive feedback.
The NDIS will not improve unless the NDIA starts to engage with people in the disability sector.
Bob Buckley Convenor, AuÖsm Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4) site: håps://a4.org.au/
AuÖsm Aspergers Advocacy Australia, known as A4, is the naÇional grassroots organisaÇion advocaÇing for auÖsÜc people, their families, carers and associates. A4 is internet based so that Australians anywhere can parÇicipate. Note for poliÇicians and bureaucrats – AuÖsm Aspergers Advocacy Australia’s policy on unanswered quesÇions is available at håps://a4.org.au/node/1419.
‘The first step in solving any problem is recognising there is one.’ Jeff Daniels as Will McEvoy in The Newsroom.
On 13/10/2020 4:02 pm, NaÇonal Disability Insurance Agency wrote:
GPO Box 700 CANBERRA ACT 2601 1800 800 110 dis.gov.au
12 October 2020
Re: Improving the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
Dear participants, families, and carers,
In August, we shared the NDIS Participant Service Charter and Service
Improvement Plan with you. These documents set out our commitments
and explain how we will make the NDIS better over the next two years.
We’ve done this because we’ve heard from you that the NDIS needs to be
simpler, faster and fairer.
I wanted to write to you today to share some further information about the
improvements we are making to the NDIS, and respond to concerns
people have raised around independent assessments.
An Easy Read version of this letter is available on the NDIS website.
Facts about introducing independent assessments
Independent assessments give a simpler, faster and fairer basis for
making decisions about access to the NDIS and plans.
We will be introducing free independent assessments for people over
seven years old who are applying for the Scheme for the first time from
early next year, and then at some plan reviews for existing participants
from the middle of 2021. Independent assessments for children less than
seven will also start in 2021.
Independent assessments will not be needed every year or at every plan
review. They’ll be needed only when there is a major change in your life or
plan.
Sharing Information About How Independent Assessments Will Work
We made the decision to announce the introduction of independent assessments early. We did this so that there would be time to work through the detail in close consultation with people with disability and representative organisations.
We have released further information about the assessment tools including information in Easy Read. Also on the NDIS website is more information about the independent assessment pilots. The second pilot ended in March 2020, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
We’ll be starting this second pilot again soon, to continue testing how we implement independent assessments. As part of this we’ll be offering independent assessments for up to 4,000 existing NDIS participants with all disability types on a voluntary basis from October 2020. If you are invited to join this pilot, I encourage you to get involved and give us your
Feedback
Over the coming months we will keep sharing more information about how the assessments will work. We will be working with participants, families and carers, providers and representative organisations to design the detail of the approach. This will ensure independent assessments are flexible and adapted to meet the needs of people with particular disabilities, and of different groups of people.
The NDIA will shortly release an engagement and consultation schedule to support the implementation of independent assessments. Sessions will be conducted nationwide, aligned to coronavirus ( COVID - 19 ) restrictions.
Please keep asking us your questions. You can send your questions to feedback@ ndis.gov.au . It is important that we give you all the information you need so you can be comfortable with the changes and feel prepared when they do happen. You are our priority.
Kind regards
Martin Hoffman CEO NDIA