Omission of dietitian services or nutrition support products from NDIS Plans A summary of cases reported from Brisbane and a regional area of Queensland – June 2019
Pseudonym Age Living situation Disability Functional impairment which Dietitian Hours in Requirement for Other
(years) impacts on food and nutrition hours NDIS plan nutrition support comment
requested product
Ruth Lives in small Cerebral palsy, No swallow, high risk vomiting Requested No hours Requires continuous
group home intellectual disability, and dumping syndrome, requires 14 hours pump feeding to meet
epilepsy tube feeding to meet all nutrition all nutrition
requirements into small bowel requirements Brisbane Sensitive to dehydration
John Brisbane Cerebral palsy, Unable to swallow safely, risk of Requested 6 No Hours 100% nutrition
quadriplegia, dumping syndrome hours through PEG, bolus
epilepsy, contractures through syringe and non-verbal communication
Drew Small group Genetic mutation Unable to chew, no safe swallow Requested 5 No hours 100% nutrition
home resulting in loss of hours through PEG, gravity
Brisbane motor abilities, feeding
wheelchair bound
Beau Supported Intellectual and Needs full support for meal Requested 5 No hours
accommodation physical disability, preparation and feeding hours
epilepsy History chronic constipation, Brisbane unintended weight loss, sporadic food refusal and risk of nutrient deficiency Continuous movement of upper body increases energy requirement
Graham Brisbane Down’s syndrome Dysphagia, requires texture Planner No hours Thickened fluids
modified diet and thickened denied Nutrition supplements
fluids. Reliant on care team. dietetics in addition to meals
History unplanned weight loss. Periods of food refusal
Trevor Supported group Intellectual Dysphagia, difficult to eat volume Needs No hours Previously
home impairment, anxiety, of food to maintain weight dietitian to funded under
Brisbane autism visit home. Queensland
Planner Community Care
denied Services, dietetics including
dietitian services in the home
Steven 7 Brisbane Acquired brain injury, Dysphagia, weak swallow, cannot Needs No hours Feeding tube in place Dietitian
non-verbal eat enough orally to maintain regular services in the
weight. review of home six years
Poor neurological function related tube feed funded under
to ABI so experiences Queensland constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, Community Care reflux. vomiting. Services Disability causes high muscle tone which increases energy requirement and makes it difficult to achieve satisfactory body weight.
Maisie 10 Lives with family Autism, Significant food aversions Requires nutrition Family cannot
in regional QLD developmental delay support product orally afford to buy
to grow but told supplement. nutrition support NDIS plan has product cannot be $1000s which included in NDIS plan can’t be used because service unavailable in the region