Submission 5 — Department of Health — NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission | External submission

Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on

the National Disability Insurance Scheme

(ND/SJ - NDIS Quality and Safeguards

Commission

Submission from the Australian Government Department of Health to the Inquiry into the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

10July 2020

Introduction

The Department of Health welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the

Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

Inquiry into the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

Commonwealth Continuity of Support (CoS) Programme

Background

The Commonwealth Cos Programme provides support to older people aged 65 years and over (Indigenous people 50 years and over) previously receiving state-administered specialist disability services who are not eligible for the NDIS. Implementation of the program commenced in December 2016 in line with implementation of the NDIS. Service providers and clients who have transitioned to the Cos Programme are covered under quality and safeguarding arrangements ofthe NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. This includes provider obligations in relation to meeting quality standards and workforce screening and pathways for client complaints. In some cases, Cos providers have been granted a transition period before they must register with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and under these arrangements existing state and territory government quality and safeguard arrangements continue.

Inquiry Terms of Reference

Input relating to the following Terms of Reference: (a) The monitoring, investigation and enforcement powers available to the Commission, and how those powers are exercised in practice (g) Management of the transition period, including impacts on other Commonwealth and state-based oversight, safeguarding, and community engagement programs

Operations and decisions of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission directly impact the Australian Government Department of Health’s Cos Programme. For example:

the Commission’s recent announcement that it will not provide cover in Western Australia until 1 December 2020. Cos providers in this state had their Funding Agreements varied to reflect this decision and will continue under existing state quality and safeguard arrangements until the Commission provides cover from 1 December 2020; and
the Commission’s decision to extend transitional arrangements for disability providers who are also providers of residential aged care impacts some Cos providers who also deliver aged care services.

An information sharing protocol between the Department of Health and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is currently being developed to ensure information is shared between agencies including, for example, notifying the Department of Health of any serious incident reports being actioned relating to Cos providers and clients.

Submission 5 — Department of Health — NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission