Why You Should Consider Working with a Registered Provider

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For many individuals with disability in Australia, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has been life changing. It has given people with disability access to services and supports designed to meet their needs and goals, while providing choice and control over how they are delivered.

But the NDIS is not without its problems: As the recent NDIS Review Report points out, issues with the scheme’s operations are well known in the disability community and have triggered several inquiries.

One of these is the issue of provider registration. Currently, participants can choose to engage a registered NDIS provider or an unregistered one. This choice may have a significant impact on the quality of services and supports and potentially even the individual’s safety and wellbeing.

The Review recognised this and recommended changes to help promote better outcomes and safeguard participants from fraudulent or risky operators.

Registered vs. Unregistered NDIS Providers: What’s the Difference?

Anyone who provides services and supports to NDIS participants must comply with the NDIS Code of Conduct, which covers the basic behaviours expected of providers involved in support delivery.

So, what’s the difference between NDIS registered vs unregistered providers?

Registered NDIS providers must go through an additional rigorous process to receive approval from the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to deliver supports to participants. This process helps ensure registered providers meet specific standards of service delivery. It involves proving that they hold appropriate qualifications, comply with industry benchmarks, and adhere to a strict ethical code.

Unregistered NDIS providers do not need to go through the same process. There are many dedicated and skilled unregistered providers. However, they are not held to the same standards, which can potentially affect the quality and safety of the services they offer.

Young women with disability sit side by side in a park with a background of flowers and trees.

Benefits of Working with a Registered NDIS Provider

For participants, there are many benefits of choosing a registered vs unregistered NDIS provider.

Assurance of quality

Opting to work with NDIS registered providers gives you greater confidence that they can deliver quality services. The registration process is stringent, ensuring that registered providers have the skills, qualifications, and commitment needed to deliver high-quality supports tailored to the needs and goals of each participant.

Registered NDIS providers are subject to regular audits and reviews to assess their ongoing compliance with standards. This helps to ensure they continue to provide services that meet the NDIS guidelines.

In contrast, unregistered providers are not subject to the same level of external oversight and accountability, which may lead to variations in service quality.

For example, there have been reports of unscrupulous operators ‘kidnapping’ and financially abusing participants, and exploiting loopholes in the system for personal financial gain.

Enhanced participant safeguards

The fact that registered providers must adhere to additional standards as well as the NDIS Code of Conduct gives participants an extra layer of protection against potential abuse or negligence. For example, registered providers need to demonstrate that they comply with the NDIS Practice Standards associated with their registration group. This means they need to prove that they meet specific standards related to the types of services and supports that they deliver. The higher the risk involved in delivering those services and supports, the stricter the standards that must be met. NDIS registered providers need an in-house system for managing incidents and must notify the NDIS Commission if a reportable incident (or alleged reportable incident) takes place. Registered providers also need to have an in-house complaints management and resolution system. This must include a system for recording and managing complaints, and a strategy to support anyone wishing to make a complaint. This helps ensure participants and their families or caregivers can raise any concerns without fear of reprisal, creating an environment that encourages open communication and resolution of issues.

Well vetted staff

Worker screening aims to safeguard NDIS participants by identifying workers who may pose an unacceptable level of risk to participant safety or wellbeing.

Registered NDIS providers must make sure their staff have an appropriate worker screening clearance that meets the requirements of the NDIS Practice Standards.

This is optional for unregistered providers, with data showing that out of more than 154,000 unregistered providers, only 6,467 had any workers who had undergone an NDIS Worker Screening Check (as of 30 June 2023).

The Review said they had heard of examples where workers who may pose an unacceptable risk of harm to individuals with disability set themselves up as unregistered providers to avoid NDIS worker screening.

A man with disability wearing a red jumper sits in a wheelchair beside a window, talking to a man in a blue shirt seated beside him on a lounge.

Choosing an NDIS registered provider means more safeguards are in place to protect your wellbeing.

People working for registered NDIS providers are not only required to undergo screening relevant to their roles, but they are also advised to complete an e-learning module (called ‘Quality, Safety and You’) that includes training on respect, risk, human rights, and the roles and responsibilities of NDIS workers.

Access to a wider range of services

Registered NDIS providers are often able to provide a greater range of services, including therapeutic supports tailored to meet various needs. This diversity allows participants to access a comprehensive range of services through one provider, streamlining their support provision and reducing the need for multiple service providers.

At Active Ability, for example, we have a multidisciplinary team of NDIS registered exercise physiologists, physiotherapists and clinical dietitians. This allows us to provide holistic supports personalised to each client’s needs and goals in a timely manner, with no need for multiple referrals or chasing different providers.

Consistent service delivery

Registered providers must undergo regular monitoring and auditing, which contribute to a consistent standard of service delivery. Participants working with registered NDIS providers should expect reliable, predictable and professional delivery of their services and supports. Consistent service provision gives participants the best chance of achieving their goals.

Upcoming Changes: Mandatory Registration for NDIS Providers

In response to the NDIS Review, some significant changes are afoot. One of these is a shift towards mandatory registration for all providers.

A boy with disability wearing a blue shirt and sitting in a wheelchair is doing arm and hand exercises with a physiotherapist who is kneeling on the floor beside him.

Consistent delivery of services can help NDIS participants reach their goals.

The Review points out that registration does not guarantee quality or safety. However, it does provide greater visibility and show that a provider has taken steps to deliver supports in a competent, professional manner. Registration also makes providers more accountable.

The Review panel suggested a new registration model is needed to balance harm prevention while ensuring people with disability continue to have choice and control over their services and supports.

They note the current approach is closely tied to how plan funding is managed, which is “leading to high-risk supports being delivered with little regulatory oversight” in some cases. They have proposed a model to regulate the provider market in line with the level of risk associated with delivery of services and supports, which they call a ‘risk-proportionate approach.’

This would see providers regulated under four categories, with corresponding mandatory registration or enrolment requirements:

1. Advanced registration for high-risk supports – supports that may pose a high risk or which require a high level of competence would be subject to more intense regulatory requirements and oversight. Examples include daily living supports delivered in high-risk settings such as group homes.

2. General registration for medium-risk supports – which would involve a graduated approach to regulatory requirements and oversight, depending on factors that affect the level of risk. Examples include supports that require additional training or skill (such as giving injections) and supports that require significant one-to-one contact with people with disability.

3. Basic registration for lower-risk supports – this ‘lighter-touch’ approach would allow for regulatory oversight against Practice Standards, as required. Examples include supports such as social and community participation, and those involving more limited one-to-one contact with people with disability.

4. Enrolment of providers delivering the lowest-risk supports – using a simple online process to ensure there is full visibility over the provider market. Examples include supports that already attract general protections under Australian Consumer Law, such as consumables, equipment, and home and vehicle modifications.

By regulating all providers, the NDIS aims to create a more transparent environment, reducing the likelihood of fraudulent activities. This change aims to protect participants from potential exploitation and enhance the integrity of the NDIS.

Active Ability: NDIS Registered Provider Delivering Quality Therapeutic Supports

At Active Ability, NDIS registration has always been an important part of who we are and what we do. We are committed to delivering services and supports of the highest standard, in line with our mission to support people with disability to achieve optimal independence, health and quality of life.

As registered NDIS providers, we offer mobile therapy services throughout Sydney, Wollongong, Central Coast, Canberra, and the Sunshine Coast.

We’re also dedicated to helping our clients get maximum value from their NDIS plans, so we do not charge for travel. And we want you to have access to services when you need them, so we will not put you on a waiting list.

To learn more about how our experienced team might be able to help you or someone you care for, contact us on (02) 8678 7874, hello@activeability.com.au or via our contact form. We’re very happy to answer your questions or help you get started with us.