In a significant step toward enhancing the quality and accountability of disability services in Australia, NDIS Minister Bill Shorten today announced a mandate requiring all NDIS providers to become officially registered.
This decision comes in response to concerns about the oversight of the approximately 150,000 providers operating without proper regulation and ignores the recommendation of a taskforce set up in February to probe one of the most controversial recommendations from last year’s NDIS review — that all service providers be registered with the scheme.
In August, it was announced that the taskforce recommended a tiered, risk-proportionate registration process. At the time, Shorten said the government would consider the recommendations.
The government’s decision was today welcomed by Melba’s Acting CEO, Melissa Webster.
“Melba strongly supports this decision,” she said. “For too long, people with disability and their families have had to navigate a system where not all providers are held to the same rigorous standards. This move will help ensure all providers meet essential quality and safety requirements.”
Shorten said the move to complete registration would be done gradually. Rather than registering all providers at the same time and imposing the same standards on each, the new model would begin only with the mandatory registration of online platforms that connected people with disability to NDIS providers, along with people who directly helped manage a participants’ plan.
Providers that assist people with the most complex disabilities to live independently, also known as supported independent living providers, would be registered at the same time.
Melissa said the new registration requirements would not only help protect participants, but also elevate the overall standard of care within the NDIS.
“It’s crucial that every provider is held accountable,” she said. “This registration process will help us achieve that goal and ensure that participants receive the support they need and deserve.”
The Australian today reported that the nearly 200,000 NDIS participants who self-manage their plans, could also face some kind of mandatory registration following further consultation with the sector.
“Through the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and under the current registration model, I am progressing registration of platform providers … support co-ordinators, and providers of supported independent living,” Shorten told the newspaper.
“I am committed to progressing reform that strengthens risk-proportionate regulation to increase the quality and safety of NDIS supports.”
Like Melba, only about 16,000 providers in the NDIS are registered, leaving the NDIS Commission with limited oversight of the practices of the other 154,000, who have no mandatory reporting obligations.
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