COVID-19 vaccination update

Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination program has started. The vaccine is a way to protect people with disability, workers and the wider community.

All Australians are encouraged to have the COVID-19 vaccine but, at this stage, it is voluntary. This means that you can decide whether or not to receive it.

Before you agree to get the vaccine, it is important that you understand:

• what the COVID-19 vaccine is and what it is for
• the benefits of the vaccine
• the risks of the vaccine.

The Department of Health has developed an Information for people with disability about COVID-19 vaccines webpage, which covers many questions you might have about the vaccines, including when and where it will be available. This webpage is being updated regularly.

The Department of Health website also published resources (including Easy Read format and Auslan videos) about the vaccines. These resources explain what the vaccines are, how to prepare for your vaccination, and what to expect after you are vaccinated.

Disability Gateway

The Disability Information Helpline has now transitioned to the Disability Gateway.

The Disability Gateway number (1800 643 787) is the same as the Disability Information helpline number. The number is available Monday to Friday between 8.00am and 8.00pm AEDT.

The Disability Gateway aims to assist people with disability, and your families and carers, to find and access trusted information and services.

You can contact the Disability Gateway about COVID-19 issues and speak to someone who understands your needs about disability specific matters.

The Disability Gateway is for all Australians with disability, whether they are an NDIS participant or not. 

NDIS Worker Screening Check

Did you know that it's your right to be supported by NDIS workers who have been screened? The NDIS Worker Screening Check is rolling out across Australia, which means that NDIS workers will be screened the same way no matter where you live.

If you self-manage all or part of your plan, you have the right to ask unregistered providers and workers to have a check. 

If you receive NDIS supports or services from a registered NDIS provider, people who work closely with you must have an NDIS worker screening clearance or acceptable check. This is the law.

You can use the NDIS Worker Screening Database to check whether your workers have been cleared. Apply to apply to use the database on the NDIS Commission website.

Visit the NDIS Commission website to find out more.

Provider practice alerts

We have published new fact sheets for NDIS providers to help them to prevent avoidable deaths of the people with disability they support. The fact sheets are about:

• Dysphagia, safe swallowing and mealtime management
• Epilepsy management
• Medicines associated with swallowing problems
• Polypharmacy
• Transitions of care between disability services and hospitals

Each fact sheet explains the risks associated with the topic and the things providers and their workers should do to manage those risks to support the ongoing health, safety and wellbeing of people with disability.

We developed these resources in response to the research undertaken by Professor Julian Trollor into the causes and contributors to deaths of people with disability.

Australian Consumer Law and the NDIS Code of Conduct

You may know that all NDIS providers and workers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, but you may not know that you also have rights under the Australian Consumer Law. When you enter agreements for NDIS services and supports, or buy goods such as a wheelchair, you are a consumer of those services, supports and goods. The Australian Consumer Law requires all businesses who provide services and goods to consumers, to act fairly, and to not mislead people about the agreement or the services, supports and goods they provide.

The NDIS Commission, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and the NDIA have jointly written to all NDIS providers to remind them of their obligations under the NDIS Code of Conduct and the Australian Consumer Law that apply to agreements made with or services, supports and goods supplied to NDIS participants and other consumers.

Consumer protection bodies in each state and territory can deal with complaints about NDIS providers who do not comply with the Australian Consumer Law, and you can also complain to the NDIS Commission. If you are not sure who to go to, contact us and we will talk to you about your complaint, and work out who is best placed to help.

The ACCC and NDIS Commission websites can help you understand more about your rights and what you can do if you think a provider has not complied with the NDIS Code of Conduct or the Australian Consumer Law.

Making a complaint to the NDIS Commission

If you feel unsafe or unhappy with your NDIS supports or services, you can complain to us.

Complaints are important—they can help providers understand what is important to people with disability and improve the quality of services they provide, so your complaint can help other people too. Complaints are also important for the work we do in ensuring safe and quality supports for people with disability.

We have listened to feedback about how we can improve our processes for people making complaints. We are making changes including:

• more staff available to handle your complaint
• people only having to tell their story once
• reducing the time taken to resolve complaints, while making sure we spend enough time to get the best outcome
• increasing the use of conciliation and other dispute resolution techniques to seek better outcomes.

We will continue to make changes to our complaints process in response to feedback received from people with disability, advocates and others. You can email feedback to complaints@ndiscommission.gov.au.

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