16 September 2020

Providing a safe environment for NDIS participants

New research released by AIHW: Mortality patterns among people using disability support services in Australia

Providing NDIS participants with access to quality and safe supports and services is an important obligation for all NDIS providers, and is fundamental to the rights of people with disability.

In this context, it is especially important that both the NDIS Commission in its regulatory role, and NDIS providers delivering supports and services, understand the causes of and contributors to deaths of people with disability to prevent avoidable deaths.

In 2019, the NDIS Commission commissioned two pieces of work, one from Dr Salomon and Professor Trollor from UNSW, released earlier this year and available on the NDIS Commission website, and a second from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Both examined death rates among people with disability and the causes of those deaths.

This alert is to advise you that AIHW have now released the summary report and accompanying technical paper on Mortality patterns among people using disability support services in Australia 2013-2018. The study contains analysis and information on the demographic and other factors that could be related to deaths, including potentially avoidable deaths, of people with disability. There are also findings on the rates and leading causes of death across types of disability.

For more information about the AIHW research, visit the NDIS Commission website. We have also published an Easy Read version of the summary report.

In partnership with the AIHW, we are continuing to investigate the mortality data underlying this study for more detailed patterns that may support the identification of risk indicators and opportunities to provide guidance on better practice.