Sneak Peek at the new NDIS Practice Standards

We are excited to see the NDIS Practice Standards, a key piece of the Quality and Safeguarding Framework, have finally been released. Yep, some of us at DSC are quality nerds!  

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Rules 2018 outline the registration requirements for providers under the NDIS. They also cover the new NDIS Practice Standards and the Quality Indicators that must be met in order to provide services.

There is a huge amount of detail in these Rules released by Commissioner Designate of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, Mr Graeme Head and the Minister for Social Services, the Hon. Dan Tehan on Friday. In this article, we've broken it down to help you understand the key pieces of information in this massive announcement.

 

What are the New Practice Standards and Quality Indicators?

The NDIS Practice Standards  aim to prevent abuse and conflict of interest as well as ensure quality outcomes for people with disability. The Quality Indicators are the way in which providers will be measured against these Standards.

The standards and indicators are underpinned by a rights based approach, choice and control and person centred practice. Yay! They also emphasise strong governance and risk management.

Organisations delivering support will need to develop these processes and systems, and for higher risk services, staff will be interviewed to ensure they are imbedded in the organisation. The good news for most existing providers is that many will already be familiar with a lot of the quality indicators as they already have to meet similar existing State based quality standards.

The big difference comes in the form of the specialist modules, which will  impact those providers registered or wishing to register to provide these particular service types.  The indicators provide very clear requirements about how providers can meet the requirements of these standards.  

There are 4 core standards based on the National Disability Standards and they cover Rights and Responsibilities, Governance and Operational Management, Provision of Support and Support Provision Environment. Additionally, there are 5 Registration areas that have their own Modules to comply with, as outlined in the table below.

Part 9 also details the Qualitative Indicators that organisations must meet to be verified, covering the areas of Human Resource Management, Incident Management, Complaints Management and Risk Management. 

Verification vs Certification

Editor’s note: a lot has changed in the Quality and Safeguarding space since this article was written. Bodies corporate now require certification regardless of registration group.

Under the new Q&SF, there will be two pathways to registration: Verification and Certification. Each registration group has now been nominated as to which pathway prospective providers will follow.

Verification requires a desktop audit by an Independent Quality Auditor against the Verification Requirements .

Certification requires a desktop audit plus additional requirements such as site visits, interviews with participants and workers by an Independent Quality Auditor.

Code	Registration Group	Verification or Certification	Core Module Quality indicators 1 to 4	Modules
101	Accommodation / Tenancy Assistance	Verification		Part 9
102	Assist to access/Maintain employ/Ed (Assist Access/Maintain Employ)	Certification	Core Standards 1 to 4
103	Assistive products for personal care and safety	Verification		Part 9
104	High Intensity Daily Personal Activities (Assist Integrate School/Ed)	Certification	Core Standards 1 to 4	Module 1
105	Personal Mobility Equipment	Verification		Part 9
106	Assistance in coordinating or managing life stages, transitions and supports (Assist- Life Stage, Transition)	Certification	Core Standards 1 to 4
107	Daily Personal Activities (Assist Personal Activities)	Certification	Core Standards 1 to 4
108	Assistance with travel/transport arrangements	Verification		Part 9
109	Vehicle Modifications	Verification		Part 9
110	Behaviour Support	Certification	Core Standards 1 to 4	Module 2 and Module 2A
111	Home modification design and construction	Verification		Part 9
112	Assistive equipment for recreation	Verification		Part 9
113	Vision Equipment	Verification		Part 9
114	Community Nursing Care	Verification		Part 9
115	Assistance with daily life tasks in a group or shared living arrangement [Daily Tasks/Shared Living]	Certification	Core Standards 1 to 4
116	Innovative Community Participation	Verification		Part 9
117	Development of daily living and life skills	Certification	Core Standards 1 to 4
118	Early Intervention supports for early childhood	Certification	Core Standards 1 to 4	Module 3
119	Specialised Hearing Services (Equipment Special Assess Setup)	Verification		Part 9
120	Household tasks	Verification		Part 9
121	Interpreting and translation	Verification		Part 9
122	Hearing Equipment	Verification		Part 9
123	Assistive products for household tasks	Verification		Part 9
124	Communication and information equipment	Verification		Part 9
125	Participation in community, social and civic activities	Certification	Core Standards 1 to 4
126	Exercise Physiology and Physical Wellbeing activities (Physical Wellbeing)	Verification		Part 9
127	Plan Management	Verification		Part 9
128	Therapeutic Supports	Verification		Part 9
129	Specialised Driver Training	Verification		Part 9
130	Assistance Animals (Other Innovative Supports)	Verification		Part 9
131	Specialised Disability Accommodation	Certification		Module 5
131*	SDA and one or more other classes of support	Certification	Core Standards 1 to 4	Module 5
132	Support Coordination (Specialist)	Certification	Core Standards 1 to 4	Module 4
133	Specialised Supported Employment	Certification	Core Standards 1 to 4
134	Hearing Services	Verification		Part 9
135	Customised Prosthetics	Verification		Part 9
136	Group and Centre Based Activities	Certification	Core Standards 1 to 4

What must you be registered for?

You must be registered to provide services under NDIS if :

1. You are providing services to Agency managed participants.

2. You are providing services to a person subject to interim or ongoing regulated restrictive interventions

3. You are providing specialist behavioural support

It is then decided whether you need to be Certified or Verified, and additional requirements are attached to this. Note: Regardless of registration group, you must be certified if you are a body corporate (a company incorporated under ASIC).

The rules also outline the suitability requirements of the provider plus key personnel and the types of checks that the Quality and Safety Commission will undertake to ensure suitable service providers.

Of interest is the fact that registered providers will need to notify the Commission within 28 days of a change of circumstances that materially affects the provider’s ability, or the ability of any of the provider’s key personnel, to provide the supports or services the provider is registered to provide.

 

Existing Providers transitioning: NSW and SA only

Existing Registered Providers will transition to new Quality and Safeguarding Framework from 1 July 2018. Unless notified in writing by the Commissioner, you will not need to change your registration requirements until your registration is due for renewal.

 

What's changing?

Despite the huge amount of detail in this announcement, there are still some unknowns about how the National Quality & Safeguarding Framework will look in practice. The table below summarises the key changes we have had confirmed to date:

Functions of the Commission	What is Changing?
Investigations, Compliance and Legal Advice	The Commissioner will monitor and investigate compliance and can implement bans and penalties
Policy, Strategy and Education	A new Code of Conduct, Orientation Module and Worker Screening will begin
Registration and Market Monitoring	Two pathways to Registration: Verification and Certification against the New NDIS Practice Standards
Complaints and Reportable Incidents	New online systems for recording and monitoring complaints and reportable incidents
Behavioural Support and Restrictive Interventions	A new system for recording and monitoring Behavioural Support interventions

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