NDIS Practice Standards, Quality Indicators, Your Rights & Responsibilities

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Practice Standard was developed to provide governance and oversight over the quality and safety of services offered to disabled participants. The NDIS Practice Standard provides a continuously improving framework, which outlines the following:
● Quality indicators and safety requirements
● Performance Assessments
● Certifications

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Code of Conduct accompanies the NDIS Practice Standard by outlining requirements for registered NDIS service providers, including expectations for culture, behaviour, and service delivery. NDIS requires all of its registered providers to abide by the NDIS Code of Conduct, with the notion that the NDIS commission may externally audit service providers for compliance at any time.

Related Articles:

• What is the NDIS? – National Disability Insurance Scheme
• NDIS Independent Assessment – Access & Eligibility Policy 
• NDIS Support Coordination
• NDIS Service Agreement: What They Are & Benefits
• NDIS Price Guide 2021/2022: Pricing Information & Changes 

Understanding the Application of the NDIS Practice Standard

Participants are encouraged to review the NDIS Practice Standard to understand better the expectations and quality indicators that NDIS have placed on their providers. In summary, the NDIS Practice Standard requires providers to:

● Respect and understand diverse values expressed by participants
● Support individual participants and their rights to making informed decisions
● Facilitate and encourage independence
● Always maintain participant privacy and confidentiality
● Prevent and report abuse, neglect, and discrimination

The NDIS Practice Standard also compels compliance by establishing a set of Quality Indicators. These quality indicators include:
● Honouring and supporting the legal and human rights of participants
● Fostering respectful and clear communication
● Ensuring confidentiality and complete privacy
● Establishing and enacting policies and other supportive documentation to eliminate abuse and discrimination
● Efficient handling of reported incidents

Related Categories:

• Living Aids 
• Mobility/Walking Aids 
• Specialty Seating 
• Bathroom Equipment
• Bedroom Equipment 
• Wheelchairs 
• Hoists/Slings 

NDIS Core Module and the Seven Supplementary Modules

The NDIS Practice Standard is categorized by a core module and some supplementary NDIS practice standards modules. Each module provides a high-level overview of its participant-focused outcomes, along with any associated quality indicators that may be audited to determine compliance.

The core NDIS practice standards module:

• Outlines and establishes the rights and responsibilities that belong to both participants and providers;
• Describes governance best practices and suggests methodology for operational management;
• Demonstrates the delivery of supports and the environment which they may be delivered in; 
• And introduces the supplementary NDIS practice standards modules.

The supplementary NDIS practice standards modules:

• Suggest intensities for daily activity;
• Provide resources and access to specialists in behavioral support;
• Provide resources and access to specialists in early childhood support;
• And discuss specialised support coordination and disability accommodations.

The seven supplementary NDIS practice standards modules are: High Intensity Daily Personal Activities Module, Specialist Behaviour Support Module, Implementing Behaviour Support Plans Modules, Early Childhood Supports Module, Specialist Support Coordination Module, Specialist Disability Accommodation Module, and Verification Module.

Additional Resources

Patient Handling, Australia’s leading supplier of disability and mobility aids, is a registered NDIS provider. Patient Handling can help you understand the benefits of NDIS and connect you with an NDIS plan manager. You can contact Patient Handling by calling 1300 734 862.

Check out the Patient Handling blog to “Understand the NDIS and How You Can Benefit From It.” For more details on product coverage, read “What Mobility and Transfer Products Are Covered by NDIS.”

Further Assistance

Participants and/or providers can view the full NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Practice Standards on the NDIS Commission website.

For more information about the NDIS Practice Standards, visit the NDIS Website or contact NDIS support at 1800 800 110 (Operating Hours: 8am – 8pm, Monday to Friday). If you require additional  assistance, please contact myGov support or call at 1300 169 486 (Operating Hours: 7am – 10pm, Monday to Friday and 10am – 5pm, Saturdays and Sundays AEST).