Published 31 May 2024
Earlier this month, AHPA and our members were pleased to meet with the NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce.
AHPA’s written submission addresses concerns that despite allied health providers presenting a low risk to quality standards and participant safety, and already being subject to comprehensive regulatory processes outside the NDIS, our professionals are currently over-regulated via existing NDIS registration requirements.
The NDIS Review recommended that all workers and providers be registered according to a risk-proportionate approach.
AHPA proposes that formal NDIS registration for allied health professionals should be at a low-level, analogous to Medicare registration for health professionals.
Taking this sensible, efficient approach incorporating recognition of other regulatory systems is increasingly important as Australia seeks to harmonise the care and support economy.
Under the current approach, whether providers are required to be registered depends on the type of service they provide. This has resulted in the NDIS Commission having little oversight of unregistered providers. It has also meant that those who are registered often choose not to re-register, and new providers decide not to register at all.
Financial costs incurred by those who have no choice but to register, combined with the lack of an NDIS price increase for allied health in over four years (not even indexation to inflation), is pushing some allied health practitioners to leave the NDIS, with cost and time burdens of NDIS service provision causing flow-on effects, exacerbating workforce shortages in an already under-supplied market.
AHPA is looking forward to the Taskforce’s final report.
More information about NDIS registration requirements can be found at our NDIS Registration Support website.