Overview
The NDIS Practice Standards for providers are a benchmark used for and provision of high quality and safe supports as well as assessment of performance in service delivery to NDIS participants. Along with the NDIS Code of Conduct, Practice Standards enlighten and educate providers on what is to be expected of them. The goal of these standards is to prevent abuse of participants and/or power of the providers while also preventing conflicts of interest in order to deliver quality service to participants.The principles of practice standards are founded on:
- A rights-based approach
- Respect of participant's choice
- Person-centred practice
- Healthy control and risk-management
- Strong corporate governance
It is the responsibility of provider organisations to instil these values in all their staff members. This means that adequate training and orientation will need to be provided to new recruits.
Registration
According to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Rules 2018, providers must be duly registered to provide supports in line with said support class requirements. Recipients of the supports must fall under the participating jurisdiction and have their funding managed by the NDIA. Failure to observe these requirements may attract civil penalties.
During application to be a registered provider, the Commissioner of NDIA will investigate and review the following among other things:
- Have you been previously registered to provide supports?
- Are there any bans enforced on you or your business?
- Past conviction under Commonwealth, State or Territory laws
- Insolvency under administration, if any
- Adverse findings in relation to various regulatory bodies or agencies
- Have you been a subject of fraud, civil or criminal proceedings or any form of dishonesty?
Enforcing Practice Standards for Providers
In order to be registered to provide a class of supports, you will first have to be assessed by an approved quality auditor as meeting the required standards. Once registered to be a provider under a specific class or classes, you will need to be observing these requirements in order to remain registered. Below is a short excerpt of the NDIS Practice Standards table of Class of Supports and Assessment Method
And lastly, as a registered provider, you are required to notify the Commission within 28 days of a change of circumstance that materially affects your organisation's ability to provide the support or services that you are registered to provide.
