NDIS Quality Standards
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) aims to improve the quality of life for people with a disability, by giving them choice and control over the kinds of support and services that they access. An important part of this is to make sure that NDIS participants receive high-quality services from NDIS providers. That is why the NDIA has established the Quality and Safeguards Commission, which is responsible for setting NDIS quality standards. These standards provide a framework for delivering services that meet community expectations and promote the safety, integrity and quality of NDIS services.
The Quality and Safeguards Commission sets a number of requirements for NDIS providers, which help to ensure the quality of services and support that participants receive. These requirements focus on ensuring the safety of NDIS participants, as well as making sure they get the best care they can.
NDIS Providers
All NDIS providers must meet the NDIS Provider Quality Standards. These standards ensure that all NDIS providers have the capacity and capability to deliver quality services and satisfy the needs of NDIS participants. This includes having access to appropriate resources, services, information and staff training, as well as systems, processes and other support requirements.
NDIS providers must also demonstrate that they understand the needs of their participants, provide effective communication and work in collaboration with families and other service providers who are part of the NDIS participant’s journey.
The NDIS Quality Standards are underpinned by a series of requirements which must be met by all NDIS providers including, but not limited to:
- Ensuring ethical behaviour and a professional standard of care;
- Establishing clear roles and responsibilities at all operational levels;
- Ensuring that NDIS participants have access to the most appropriate, evidence-based and individualised supports;
- Implementing a process to ensure quality outcomes are achieved;
- Monitoring and evaluating the quality and safety of service delivery;
- Ensuring working staff have the right skills, knowledge and experience required;
- Make sure that there are sufficient resources;
- Adopting systems and processes that seek to minimise any risk to service or support delivery;
- Providing feedback and monitoring results to ensure that NDIS participant goals are achieved.
NDIS Participant Safety
The NDIS Quality Standards also require providers to work within the framework of the NDIS Protections for Participants. This means that NDIS providers must ensure the safety of participants at all times. This includes:
- Ensuring working staff have been adequately screened to ensure they have no criminal or another history that may pose a risk to participants;
- Adopting systems and processes to minimise any risk to service or support delivery;
- Ensuring an appropriate level of supervision and monitoring;
- Ensuring participants have access to complain processes and procedures;
- Improving the awareness and understanding of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Framework among staff, NDIS participants and their families.
These standards are designed to ensure that NDIS participants are well supported and cared for, which is at the core of the NDIS. The NDIS Quality Standards help to promote quality of life outcomes and provide assurance to NDIS participants, their families and carers that they are receiving the services they have been approved for.
While NDIS providers are required to comply with the NDIS Quality Standards, in order to receive funding, there is still scope for providers to innovate and find new and better ways of meeting the needs of their participants. By having these standards in place, the NDIS is now able to support high-quality services and supports that promote choice and control, well-being and inclusion for all participants.
NDIS providers help individuals with a disability to live more independently, and have greater choice and control over the supports needed to achieve their desired life outcomes. They are integral to the success of the NDIS, allowing participants to access the goods and services they need in order to meet their NDIS goals. NDIS provider Melbourne Service creates tailored support plans based on each individual’s goals, abilities and needs. The NDIS also has a list of registered providers, which can be used to find an NDIS provider that is suitable for each individual’s needs. By working with an NDIS provider, participants can ensure their disability-related needs are met in order to improve their quality of life.
