NDIS ICT Systems Inquiry - Submission September 2018
Every Australian Counts
Every Australian Counts thanks the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme for the opportunity to make a submission into the inquiry into the NDIS IT system.
`` The portal is not user friendly. It is complex, counter intuitive and difficult navigate. It is challenging for even regular users or those experienced with computers. And to cap it all off, there is very little support available to help newbies learn the ropes. You get sent a code and then a letter and then you
Every Australian Counts is the grassroots campaign that fought for the introduction of the NDIS. It is a community of people with disability, their families and carers, people who work in the sector as well as ordinary Australians who want to see a better and fairer deal for people with disability in this country. In the eight years since it was established, it has amassed thousands of supporters from all over the country.
`` Keeping track of your plan and how things are going is critical for NDIS participants. People need to monitor use of their funding – where it is going, who it is going to, how much is going and when it is going are all critical functions. And it is these functions which are either completely lacking or difficult to use. Again, the system needs to be designed with end users in mind. EAC community has stayed active and engaged as the scheme rolls out around the country. Our community continues to fight to make sure the NDIS stays true to its original vision and delivers on its promise to people with disability.
`` The portal is slow and unreliable. Even at 3am.
`` People feel that the IT is determining decision making – rather than the other way around. For example, the IT system requires a primary disability to be listed. But people’s lives are rarely fit into neat boxes – people often have multiple disabilities, and the way they interact is often important. Which disability is “primary” also depends on the circumstances. People feel the needs of the system are driving decision making – rather than the needs of participants and their families.
But our community is also all too aware that it is not working well for everyone. Too many people are falling through the gaps, and not getting the support they need. Even those who are ultimately happy with outcomes express ongoing frustration with NDIS processes and policies. In short – the scheme is not yet working the way we all want and need it to.
We stay in touch with our community in many ways – online, on social media, in person. We regularly survey our supporters and at the moment are holding face to face forums all across the country to give people with disability, their families and carers and people who work in the sector a chance to talk about what’s working, what’s not and what needs to change.
Issues with the NDIS IT system come up consistently in every forum – in surveys, in person, and on line. The most common issues raised include:
`` The IT system remains inaccessible to people who are vision impaired. This is completely unacceptable for a scheme responsible for meeting the needs of people with disability and promoting inclusion.
To ensure we accurately captured the feedback we regularly receive, we recently opened a small page on our website asking people to contribute to this submission. In less than one week we received over 450 comments and stories. That is what you will find attached in an Appendix. They are as they have been submitted to us – the only editing has been for typographical errors or information that clearly, and potentially dangerously, identifies a person or their family. Oh and a few swear words here and there … Which may give the impression that some participants feel strongly enough about these matters to be willing to express themselves freely even if it means using language which might otherwise seem out of place.
Page 3
committee some idea of the level of frustration amongst participants and their families. Again, we would like to thank the committee for the opportunity to have input into the inquiry. We would strongly urge you to consider carefully the views expressed here and the suggestions for change. In our view, it is people with disability their families and carers and people who work in the sector who have the best understanding of what needs to change, and what will and what will not work on the ground. Please listen to what they have to say – they are the ones who matter most.
Yours Sincerely
Kirsten Deane on behalf of Every Australian Counts
Every Australian Counts