Independent Assessments
Submission 283
I wish to share my concern regarding the NDIA’s proposed Independent Assessment requirement.
Have lived with a progressive neurological disability since my early twenties. I am now 50 years old, live in regional northern NSW with my husband and two teenage sons (one of whom has just moved away for University).
I trained and worked as a school teacher and have been employed in the community sector for over twenty years (since I retired from my career due to my disability). I am employed for 28 hours per week in a senior administration capacity with a CHSP/ NDIS service provider. As my disability has deteriorated, I have modified/ adjusted/ ceased my activities of daily living and I am reliant on a walker (sometimes wheelchair) for mobility. Although I am able to drive, I frequently find access to acilities/ uneven terrain/ lifting my walker in and out of the vehicle etc. quite challenging as I cannot control these environments. While I am mostly independent with self-care, I rely heavily on my families for assistance with many tasks involved with caring for my family. I am involved in my local group: I assist with the local AFL club, attend Bookclub and classic car events and enjoy reading mysteries and cross stitching, in particular (although I am finding this difficult with my declining vision and dexterity - both caused by my disability).
Wass approached to participate in the pilot of IA in November 2020 and agreed to participate. At
the time of organising this, I requested an in-person assessment (as a phone call will not provide
adquate ‘display’ of the affects of my disability) and stated that I am employed four days per week
(so only available on Wednesdays). I was assured this was not a problem. After waiting (and
waiting) I was called in early January. I advised that I had just returned from annual leave and my
employer couldn’t allow additional leave in the short term (ironically because I was lead for the
organisation’s quality review as an NDIS registered provider!) I did say that I had two weeks’ annual
leave booked for the last week in February/ first week in March. Fast forward (through emails/
sphone calls/ texts) to mid-February when I was offered one appointment in the first week of my
holidays, (at which time I wasn’t available as I was involved in a consultancy session for the NDIS).
The person organizing the appointments then stated that “because I wasn’t available at all that
week” that I would be exited from the program. Apparently redacted had a deadline to meet and a later
apappointment wasn’t possible. The impression I was given from the organizer was that I was too
much trouble and that I wasn’t worth bothering about. As my husband was also required to be
there (as someone who knows about the difficulties I experience in my everyday life), I feel that no
inconsideration was given to the complexity of his workload or other responsibilities (at that time he
wass also caring for a family member experiencing a mental health episode, another with reduced
gapacity as they were waiting for a hip replacement, and we were both busy trying to support /
locate accommodation for our eldest son who was relocating interstate for University!!)
The appointment scheduling process was inefficient, required too many interactions for contact (spoke
with/ emailed by different workers who didn’t seem to know what was happening). I requested
contact by email and this was ignored: I was contacted by phone/ text. I was left with the
impressions from APM that as I was able to work I didn’t need NDIS supports. How is this experience
of trying to organize an independent assessment equitable? Are participants living in regional areas
goings receive adequate notice/ appropriate alternatives or are they to expect a sub-standard
sgroup because they reside out of a capital city?
I would also question the economics of such an inefficient system… if the NDIS is trying to reduce expenditure, theis not the way to do it.
I am also concerned about participants such as myself who experience degenerative disability. My mobility/ dexterity/ vision/ cognition could deteriorate overnight (despite my best efforts to avoid thiss . I would suggest particular attention must be given to the cohort of participants who expeience fluctuations of their condition/ capacity. Is an independent assessment going to be
Independent Assessments
Submission 283
The following text was extracted mechanically:
required at each of those times? If so, attending these assessments might be all I have time to do (rather than contributing to my community or financially supporting my family). What are the extended time frames associated with organising an IA? I would suggest that 3 months without even getting an appointment is significantly detrimental to the capacity of any participant, let alone one experiencing decline in function. The logic of the proposed approach simply doesn’t exist.
Surely the trusted professionals who support me (Occupational Therapist/ Physiotherapist/ Exercise Physiologist/ GP/ Neurologist/ Rheumatologist/ Opthamologist) have the appropriate skills and experience and insight into me, my condition, my unique challenges, my environment and my actions of daily living to assist me live with choice and control through supports which assist me and are appropriate to me. A couple of hours with a stranger over the phone will not provide this degree of understanding or efficiency.