10397 – Individual submission

Many NDIS participants are unable to make an appointment with their podiatrist, psychologist, occupational therapist, speech therapist/speech pathologist within the time given by the NDIA to provide all information that the NDIA requires. If the NDIA only allows a certain amount of time for NDIS participants to gain the information needed and to be provided to the NDIA what happens if NDIS participants are unable to get an appointment within that time? The NDIA needs to allow more time for NDIS participants to gain the information and anything else that participants have been asked to provide by the NDIA. If the NDIA are only allowing a certain amount of time for NDIS participants to gain the information that has been requested and NDIS participants are not able to get an appointment within the timeframe given then NDIS participants will not be able to get funded what they want in their NDIS plan. The NDIA want information given to them in a short amount of time. There are a lot of gaps between mainstream services and the NDIS and until the NDIA come to an agreement and partnership with each mainstream service area including education, housing, justice system, hospitals, employment and transport gaps will continue between NDIS and mainstream services and the gaps will get bigger, and bigger, and bigger and bigger. The NDIS is not well connected with mainstream services and does not work well with mainstream services. NDIA planners and Local Area Coordinators do not contact NDIS participants to let them know their plan is approved, NDIS participants are not asked if they are happy with their NDIS plan and is there anything they would like to add or change in their NDIS plan. NDIS participants are not shown a draft plan before the plan is submitted to make sure that everything is correct and there are no mistakes before the plan is submitted to an NDIA planner to be approved. NDIA planners and Local Area Coordinators do not ask NDIS participants if they approve the NDIS plan, NDIS participants are not asked for their opinion before the NDIS plan is approved, NDIA planners and Local Area Coordinators do not liaise and consult with NDIS participants when approving the NDIS plan. While NDIA planners and Local Area Coordinators maybe happy with the NDIS plan that does not mean that NDIS participants are happy with their NDIS plan. Without involving NDIS participants in the decision making processes at all times from the beginning and including approving NDIS plans this is leaving NDIS participants with no option other than to apply for a review of a reviewable decision and then appeal the decision at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal all because the NDIA planners and Local Area Coordinators do not ask NDIS participants for their opinion. Had there been more liaising and consulting with NDIS participant at all times in all decision making processes from the beginning then there would not be all these appeals going to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. If NDIA planners and Local Area Coordinators came to an agreement that both NDIS participants agree on as well as NDIA planners and the Local Area Coordinators then NDIS participants and people with disabilities applying for the NDIS to access the NDIS would not be having to seek legal advice to identify legal issues to get their rights upheld, would not have to self advocate as well as other people around them advocating for them on their behalf all because the NDIA will not involve NDIS participants in all decision making processes.