Ombudsman slams disability insurance scheme

"Unwieldy", "unapproachable" and lacking "fairness and transparency" – that’s the damning report from the Commonwealth Ombudsman on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) review system.

The report reveals that about 8000 people are waiting up to nine months for reviews of such fundamental issues as inadequate equipment being provided and pleas for extra support. Other complaints focused on NDIS staff and contractors actively discouraging people from seeking a review, requests for reviews not being acknowledged and inquiries being ignored. In some case, the report said, these people were at risk of harm or homelessness.

"[Delays] pose a particular risk to those who may be at risk of losing services or experiencing deterioration in their capacity if their plan is not adjusted quickly," the report said.

The Ombudsman said it had received 400 complaints about the review processes in the 18 months to January.

More than 140,000 Australians are covered by the NDIS with that number expected to rise to 475,000 in the next four to five years.

The report listed 20 recommendations and the NDIS says it is working through them.

"[The agency] has started determining the most practical way to implement responses," a spokesman said in a statement. "The NDIA has established a dedicated team to manage outstanding reviews.

 

7 comments

Demand driven services are always expensive and difficult to manage.

Imagine the statistics if the NDIS was not ageist and allow the elderly to be able to be disabled and claim NDIS.

To access the NDIS you must be aged under 65 years.

They were afraid to include the elderly and anyway Gillard was PM at the time and her parents were and still are maybe if alive on age pension - couple. Yet the couple rate was cut in 2009. And Gillard said pensioners done vote Labor - remember?

Strange I always sthought.

Maybe she didnt want to be accused of pandering to age pensioners as her parents on it. 

The National Disability Insurance Agency was, as of February, dealing with about 8,100 reviews and receiving about 620 new review requests per week. Some reviews are taking nine months to complete.

Source.

Big work load.

The ombudsman linked the problem to a lack of resourcing, competing priorities and pressure on the NDIA to meet its rollout targets.

Hope the agency gets the resources it needs to speed things up.

 

I cannot understand as to why we have so many disabled people ??

Just looking at Autism

There were 164,000 Australians with Autism1 in 2015

The number of Australians with Autism1 increased by 42.1% since 2012

With increases like that I cannot see how you can ever catch or speed it up.

It does make you wonder Suze -- as I never remember seeing it when I was growing up or even when my Son was growing up -- is it something in the soil -- such as -- glysophate  ---  or whatever -- or something that is being eaten by the Animals we are also eating?    Nothing is natural anymore -- and also NOTHING tastes like it used to many decades ago either

Good point - Why DO we have so many disabled people - is it the definition of disability (allowing more to claim) or is it actually some hidden factor driving it?

Wonder if some expert in this area can throw some light?

And this is what happens when the govt over fixes things that just require some tweaking....so over these bureaucrats being in charge of programs that should be run by experienced people like physios, doctors, nurses, rehab consultants and occupational therapists. What do bureaucrats know about things like this....I know the old system had some issues but like I said, just needed some tweaking, not bringing in unworkable policies and procedures....

400 complaints from 140,000 people! Less than 0.3%. I'd say the NDIS was doing pretty well at those rates. Always room for improvement of course but the system is new, hopes were initially raised by Labor's unfunded promises, and more and more people seem to think they are 'entitled' to the disability badge and therefore more welfare support. Everyone seems to have a disability these days and Australia has basically medicalised normal human emotions and reactions. Noone is nervous about say exams these day they have 'anxiety', noone is sad and in mourning when someone dies - they are 'depressed', a broken fingernail requires a week off work, etc etc etcAnd then there's the old chestnut of 'back-ache' and this is the best because most have no apparent cause and of course no 'treatment' works either. All this does is take what resources there are away from those who have a genuine need and it takes time to sort the wheat from the chaff!

The office ombudsman is corrupt as is all the Complainst system that is only prpaganda bully & lie when ask hem for help you never have that is th A.P.S. were the is totaly corrupt & have  pay  for not work not help only publicly lie who never change any in the system the who work in the Commonwealth ombudsman office the rude & never say against the Governments negligence & crime against Civil Rights & rights Citizence 

I really feel for those that are truly disabled and are unable to get the help they really need to live life.

The Government need to pull their finger out and get things sorts rather than worry about so many UNNESSARYthings they spend so much money on

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