News

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) has today published its latest activity report, covering the period 1 October 2022 to 31 December 2022 for all states and territories in Australia.

This is the fourth quarterly NDIS Commission Activity Report for the calendar year 2022, and provides an overview of NDIS Commission activities, including complaints, registrations, reportable incidents, behaviour support, compliance, as well as engagement for all stakeholders and in particular for participants.

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner Tracy Mackey said the information collected through activity reports was used in conjunction with complaints and incident reports received by the NDIS Commission to identify target areas for compliance and education activities.

“This information provides an overview of the experiences of people with disability in accessing NDIS supports, and enables the NDIS Commission to identify areas where we can work with providers to increase compliance and improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports provided to participants,” Commissioner Mackey said.

“We’ve used this data to inform wide-ranging and targeted compliance actions, including NDIS Commission staff visiting Cairns and Bunbury where we engaged with providers to ensure they understood their compliance obligations, and met with participants to share information on their rights and how to raise a concern about their supports.”

The activity report across most functions during 1 October 2022 to 31 December 2022 shows:

• The number of complaints lodged nationally was steady, with a 1% increase from 1,976 last quarter to 2,001 this quarter.
• The total number of registered providers remained stable at 19,315 in this quarter, compared to 19,536 last quarter.
• 7% increase in reportable incidents (excluding unauthorised restrictive practices) in this quarter.
• The number of NDIS behaviour support practitioners considered by the NDIS Commission to be suitable to deliver behaviour support services increased 40%, from 3,252 last quarter to 4,544 this quarter.
• 13% increase in NDIS Worker Screening clearances granted nationwide this quarter compared with last quarter.
• As at 31 December 2022, there were 449 NDIS Worker Screening exclusions in place, compared to 329 last quarter.

“The safety and wellbeing of people with disability is the priority of the NDIS Commission, and we have taken swift action in cases where there has been a risk to the safety of NDIS participants,” Commissioner Mackey said.

“This action includes 42 banning orders issued between 1 July 2022 and 31 December 2022. We have also worked directly with providers in a further 4,868 instances to educate them on compliance to ensure participants receive the safest and best practice supports.”

In addition to these actions, the NDIS Commission continues to focus on ensuring registered NDIS providers understand their responsibilities in regards to the use of unauthorised restrictive practices (URPs), and promoting the use of positive behaviour support strategies to reduce the use of restrictive practices with participants.

During this reporting period, the NDIS Commission was advised of 4,470 NDIS participants subjected to 410,657 URPs, which is a 6% increase in NDIS participants subjected to URP.

“Participants subjected to URPs remain a key focus area for the NDIS Commission and we are carrying out significant work to educate workers that are implementing restrictive practices, while we also continue to conduct regulatory activities with implementing providers and behaviour support practitioners to further reduce the rate of these incidents,” Commissioner Mackey said.

The NDIS Commission has released a detailed analysis of URPs received during the 2021/22 period, including an outline of activities undertaken in response to the data.  The Unauthorised Uses of Restrictive Practices in the National Disability Insurance Scheme report is available on the NDIS Commission’s website.

“We will continue to act decisively where there is a risk to the safety of NDIS participants, and to set clear expectations for behaviour support practitioners as we strengthen the safeguards for people receiving behaviour support,” Commissioner Mackey said.

“By working together with providers, workers and behaviour support practitioners, the NDIS Commission upholds its commitment to ensuring all NDIS participants receive the safe and quality services they deserve.”

Visit the NDIS Commission Activity Reports page for more information including an overview of the URP Report by the Senior Practitioner.