The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a social welfare program that provides support and services to people with permanent and significant disabilities in Australia. The NDIS aims to empower people with disabilities to live independently, participate in their communities, and achieve their goals.
One of the key components of the NDIS is the planning process, which involves developing a personalised plan for each participant that outlines their needs, preferences, and aspirations, as well as the supports and funding they are eligible for. The planning process is facilitated by a NDIS planner, who works with the participant and their family or carers to create a plan that reflects their choices and circumstances.
However, the planning process has been criticised by some participants and advocates for being too rigid, complex, and inconsistent. Some of the common issues reported include:
- Long waiting times for planning meetings and plan approvals
- Lack of choice and control over who conducts the planning meeting and how it is conducted
- Lack of transparency and clarity about how decisions are made and how to appeal them
- Lack of flexibility and responsiveness to changing needs and situations
- Lack of alignment and coordination with other services and systems
To address these issues, the NDIS has introduced a new planning approach called PACE, which stands for Participant-led, Active, Collaborative, and Engaging. The PACE system is designed to make the planning process more personalised, streamlined, and outcomes-focused. The PACE system aims to:
- Give participants more choice and control over who conducts their planning meeting, when and where it happens, and how it is structured
- Reduce waiting times for planning meetings and plan approvals by using online platforms and tools
- Increase transparency and clarity about how decisions are made and how to appeal them by providing clear information and feedback
- Increase flexibility and responsiveness to changing needs and situations by allowing participants to make minor adjustments to their plans without requiring a full review
- Increase alignment and coordination with other services and systems by using a holistic approach that considers the participant’s whole life context
The PACE system is currently being trialled in selected regions across Australia, with the intention of rolling it out nationally by 2024. The NDIS is seeking feedback from participants, families, carers, providers, and other stakeholders on their experiences with the PACE system and how it can be improved.
dock’d has been designed to help service providers support the participants in their care. Contact Us today for more information or request a copy of our case study.
