Submission to the NDIS Workforce Inquiry
In April QAI made a submission to the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Workforce Inquiry.
Below is an excerpt from the submission with our key recommendations. You can read the full submission here.
QAI’s Recommendations
- Abolishment of Supported Independent Living (SIL) from plans. SIL funding for NDIS
participants should be replaced by open and individualised funding for everyone,
including people who wish to share accommodation and support. - Restructure pricing for supports at the top and bottom of the market with particular
emphasis on mental health supports, therapy supports and services for people with
complex needs. - Restructure pricing for regional, rural and remote regions to strengthen service delivery
which has higher overhead costs than their urban counterparts. - Provide adequate funding to participants in regional, rural and remote regions to enable
delivery of service. - Work with Indigenous councils to train service providers and staff to deliver services, by
building the capacity of local people. - The NDIA ensure each state and territory has a well-equipped, well trained and person-centered human rights based ‘provider of last resort’.
- Provide both financial and physical support to participants to learn how to self-manage
their plan to enable maximum flexibility. - Provide support and guidance to self-managing participants to understand Australian
Taxation Office rules, Fair Work rules and other employment issues resulting from
directly employing staff. - Provide information to the mainstream and community on services that can be provided
under the NDIS to encourage mainstream services in a disability setting. - The NDIA (and Quality and Safeguards Commission) provide assistance to providers
and sole traders to participate in the auditing process which can be timely, costly and a
hindrance to staying in the NDIS market. - The Quality and Safeguards Commission to scrutinise service providers providing
housing and supports and restrict registration to ensure no provide is able to provide
both functions.