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Issue 1: December 2020
A newsletter for people with disability, your friends, family, advocates and the community.
Welcome to the first edition of SAFEGuard, the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission’s (NDIS Commission) newsletter for people with disability who receive supports and services through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
We are writing to you because we are here for you. These newsletters will help explain what we and others are doing to make sure the supports and services you rely on are safe and of good quality. If they aren’t, you can complain to us.
We know not everyone with disability wants to get information in the same way. These newsletters will shortly be available in Easy Read, Auslan and other languages, and will contain resources and information in different formats. Some will be for you, and others will be for people who have different needs.
We hope you find this newsletter interesting and helpful. Please tell us your thoughts, including any suggestions about how we can improve it in future, and what you think of the name SAFEGuard, by filling in our survey at the end of this newsletter.
If you are an NDIS provider or worker who supports a person with disability, or an advocate, guardian, friend or family member of a person with disability, please share this newsletter with them.
What is the NDIS Commission?
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) is a government agency that works to improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services.
We started operating in New South Wales and South Australia on 1 July 2018. A year later, on 1 July 2019, we began in the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, the Northern Territory, Tasmania and Victoria. From 1 December 2020, we are in Western Australia as well, which means that we now regulate all NDIS providers across the country.
It also means that, no matter where you live in Australia, if you feel unsafe or unhappy with the quality of your NDIS supports or services, you can complain to us.
We support you by:
- responding to your concerns or complaints
- requiring providers to uphold your right to be free from harm
- promoting safe and quality services
- overseeing the NDIS Code of Conduct and Practice Standards for providers and workers
- requiring registered NDIS providers to manage incidents involving participants, and to report incidents – including abuse and neglect – to us
- overseeing and leading behaviour support
- identifying ways to improve the NDIS market and future services.
Making a complaint to the NDIS Commission
If you feel unsafe or unhappy with your NDIS supports or services, you can complain to us.
In our “Understanding complaints” video, the Complaints Commissioner explains how we take complaints and what actions we can take.
We have a webpage that explains how to make a complaint about a provider. It also sets out the types of complaints you can raise with us, and what happens after you make a complaint.
We also have brochures that explain the complaints process:
Change for providers of daily personal support
If you receive daily personal support in your home from just one individual support worker, your NDIS provider will soon contact you as we have changed the conditions of their registration. From 19 December 2020, your provider needs to work with you to assess whether there are any things that might put you at risk if you only use one worker. They also need to make an agreement with you about how they will supervise your support worker, and how they will check if you are satisfied with the supports you receive.
We have sent a letter to NDIS participants explaining this change. The letter is also available in Easy Read and Auslan formats, and in 11 community languages on our website. You can order a Braille copy of the letter by emailing engagement@ndiscommission.gov.au with your name and address.
Participant welcome pack
Our Participant Welcome Pack contains information about your rights, choosing quality and safe supports, and how to make a complaint to us.
The pack is also available on our website in Easy Read and Auslan formats. You can order Braille copies of the pack, as well as printed copies of the standard and Easy Read versions using our online order form.
New resources for First Nations participants
Ensuring all NDIS participants understand their rights under the NDIS is key to what we do and who we are. With this in mind, we are producing new materials designed specifically for First Nations NDIS participants.
The resources are being developed with an Aboriginal-owned communications company, in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants, workers and carers. They will outline the NDIS Commission’s role and how to make a complaint, and will include icons and graphics developed by an Aboriginal artist.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) resources
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have worked hard to give NDIS providers and workers clear and helpful guidance about how to deal with the crisis while supporting you to stay safe and well.
We have also written fact sheets and an information pack for NDIS participants that explain some of the changes you might see in the way supports and services are delivered during the pandemic. Our COVID-19 information for people with disability webpage has links to these and other helpful resources.
Resources for people with intellectual disability
Under the ‘Support for NDIS providers’ program, the Council for Intellectual Disability received a grant to develop and present resources and workshops for people with intellectual disability. This is the ‘Your Service, Your Rights’ program.
The 'Your Service, Your Rights' conversation cards tell stories about people who get disability services. Talking about these stories will help you know if you are getting good or bad service.
The 'Your Service, Your Rights' video is another way to learn about your rights. It includes people sharing their stories about speaking up.
You can read more about the cards and watch the video on the CID website. The 'Your Service, Your Rights' program will also have resources for disability service providers available in 2021. For more information, contact rachel@cid.org.a
Consultation: Provider Practice Health Alerts
We have contracted the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) to develop three Provider Practice Alerts.
These alerts will inform NDIS providers about preventing, identifying and managing key health related risks to NDIS participants. The alerts are:
- Comprehensive health care assessments
- Lifestyle risks
- Dental Health care.
In early 2021 we will be seeking feedback from participants on drafts of these three alerts. If you would like to be involved, please send an e-mail to Disability@safetyandquality.gov.au, and you will be notified when they are available. You can also sign up to the ACSQHC e-news to be alerted about these and other consultations.
How to contact the NDIS Commission
You can call us on 1800 035 544. This is a free call from landlines. Our contact centre is open 9.00am to 5.00pm (9.00am to 4.30pm in the NT) Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
Alternatively, you an email contactcentre@ndiscommission.gov.au
Ways to make a complaint
If you would like to make a complaint to us, you can:
Call 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines) or TTY 133 677. Interpreters can be arranged.
Use the National Relay Service and ask for 1800 035 544.
Complete an online complaint contact form.
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Tell us what you think about this newsletter
We hope you find this newsletter interesting and helpful. Please tell us your thoughts and any suggestions you might have about how we can improve it in future by filling in our survey. If you would prefer to send us an email, please write to engagement@ndiscommission.gov.au