10346 – Individual submission

Where there is an identified preferred general practitioner for the person being assessed or receiving NDIS supports, it should be compulsory for any appointed nmanager to attend a meeting with this GP (subject to the consent of the patient and their presence in the meeting, of course).
It should also be compulsory that preferred general practitioners receive ongoing copies of plans for services created and the reviews.
As a GP for over 30 years, I never hear from NDIS managers at any stage of the NDIS process (apart from one manager who is also one of my patients).
I remain confused by what is possible for my patients to receive funding for and am frustrated that my perspective is not sought. I have a very thorough knowledge of what the needs of the patient are and would like to be consulted. I should be able to bill NDIS directly for this input. I see that allied health providers are paid very well for their services and GP’s should get at least that much (I think it should be more to recognise our whole-person knowledge and experience). Another issue is NDIS not paying gap fees for specialists. Often the best care possible for my patients includes the best specialists. This is unaffordable for people on Disabilty Pensions and I get told NDIS won’t/can’t pay for this really important part of their best care. Podiatrists get paid well but an expert foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeon doesn’t get paid. Finally, for people on high level NDIS, I strongly believe they should be granted the equivalent of the Gold Card for veterans, enabling them to have the best of private hospital care and ongoing allied health if it is needed. The public system often fails people with disability and they can rarely afford private health insurance.