IAC Members connected with the community to find out about issues that affect them.

This includes issues that affect participants.

Participants are people with disability who take part in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

IAC Members shared reports about these issues with people from the NDIA.

People from the NDIA also shared their response to some of these issues.

An NDIS plan has information about:

• a participant and their goals
• what supports a participant needs
• what the NDIS will pay for.

IAC Members said sometimes NDIS plans can change before the NDIA checks them.

The NDIA fixes this problem when it happens.

But it is still scary for participants.

IAC Members said participants are worried about the new funding periods.

Funding periods tell you:

• how long your money from the NDIS needs to last
• when you can start using more money from the NDIS.

Some participants can’t get support because they don’t have enough money at the end of the funding period.

IAC Members said funding periods don’t let participants:

• change their supports easily

• use the money in their NDIS plans in different ways.

The NDIS said its working to make sure all their decisions think about participants.

IAC Members said some people with disability find it hard to join the NDIS.

This includes people with disabilities that not many people have.

They find it hard to get the proof the NDIS needs about their disability.

This is because there isn’t always research about:

• how these disabilities can affect their life

• what supports they need.

IAC Members asked the NDIA about some of their research papers.

This includes the NDIA’s research papers on:

• home and living supports

• group homes.

Group homes are places where people with disability:

• live together
• get support.

IAC Members want to know what research the NDIA has done.

The NDIA said it wants to share more information with the community about its research.

IAC Members said participants are worried about calls from the NDIA they don’t expect.

The NDIA said they have guides for what their staff should say to participants when they call.

The NDIA is working on making these guides better.

The guides will help staff communicate in a way that:

• is clear
• participants can understand.

The NDIA is also working on a way that lets participants choose when the NDIS calls them.

IAC Members said people need more information about what to do when a participant passes away.

This includes information for:

• participants

• families and carers.

IAC Members said that the NDIA should share all the information people might need on their website.

This includes clearer information about what families and carers should do.

IAC Members said the community are worried about how the NDIS works with healthcare services.

The community are worried people don’t know how participants can get support in hospitals.

This includes:

• providers – someone who supports people with disability by delivering a service

• people who speak up for participants

• healthcare workers.

The rules for different states and territories make it hard to know how to support participants in hospitals.

IAC Members said this shows how foundational supports can improve the experience of participants.

Foundational supports are disability supports for all people with disability.

This includes people with disability who don’t take part in the NDIS.