Submission about proposed NDIS legislative changes and the Participant Service Guarantee

The APS welcomed the opportunity to respond to the proposed changes to the NDIS legislation and the new Participant Service Guarantee (PSG). The proposed changes intend to make the NDIS processes easier and better for Scheme participants and seeks to establish transparent timelines, service standards and performance reporting for planning, coordination and decision-making. The APS commended aspects of the proposed amendments to the legislation, including some changes to psychosocial disability. We noted that the introduction of the PSG is an overdue and necessary step for quality assurance. Specific recommendations included:

• Embed mechanisms in the legislation for evaluating the impact of the NDIS on participants' lives.

• Provide more guidance about the interpretation and application of proposed changes to psychosocial disability to avoid inconsistent application and enable people with a psychosocial disability to retain choice and control.

• Provide more guidance and safeguards about the proposed NDIS CEO powers for plan and provider variations to avoid misinterpretation, misapplication and inconsistency.

• Include principles and service standards for NDIA engagement with professional and peak bodies to guide and mandate improvement of NDIA consultation mechanisms and practices.

• Improve training of NDIS staff, providers and workers to ensure the intention of the legislation and the PSG is honoured, and good outcomes for participants remains the priority.

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