The NDIS was introduced to make the lives of people with disabilities much more comfortable and cover the cost of treatments and all the care & support services required. Changing your NDIS provider is undoubtedly possible, but there is a streamlined process that you are required to follow. When you are unsatisfied with your existing NDIS provider or your goals have been transformed, you can successfully switch.
There is a protocol that will take you through all the essential steps required to change your existing NDIS provider. It can be quite challenging at times, but there are many reasons for it. You might be unsatisfied with the services, or perhaps there is a transformation in your goals.
Another reason could be a practical one like planning a move, or there is particular alternation in your circumstances. You could also be in a situation where your existing NDIS provider is incapable of meeting the service standards you need. They might have altered their service plan, or there is a change in management that has transformed the customer service model completely.
Change is an inevitable component of life, and so is the switching of NDIS providers. The participant needs to be equipped with all information for a thorough understanding and be able to cope with a chance to achieve a desirable outcome.
When you are switching to the service provider, specific practical considerations must be taken into account. This possibly involves the cancellation of the current service bookings. Considering what steps are required to be taken in this journey, its immediate impact, and a clear picture of the criteria for selecting the new service providers. The NDIS provides you the choice and full control over all the support services that you get. You have the same rights as others for participating, directing, and implementing all decisions that impact your life. As an NDIS participant, you gain the privilege of accessing all services and supports that you think are most appropriate for meeting all your needs and goals. You can find more information here.
Changing your existing service provider is not as hard as you might think. It becomes rather much simpler when you know all the steps that are to be taken:
Step 1
Ending service agreements with existing service providers
The first step involves making all required arrangements for ending your service agreements with existing providers.
Everyone looks for a smooth transition that involves a minimum of disruption, any potential conflict, or confusion. For ending your current service agreements, there are specific crucial points that you need to address before ending your service contract:
- Notice period- check out the notice period that is needed for end supports.
- Methods to inform that you want to end- Is the information you want to end the supports is to be given in writing, or the participant has to request an acknowledgment from the service provider for requesting a stop.
Final documentation/ reports-Is there any requirement to provide any final report. Is the information about what you have already done with this provider to choose a new one. However, you mustn’t keep getting back at the initial and repeating the same story. - Cancellation of service bookings in NDIS portal- When your NDIS plan agency is managed, your existing service provider must cancel out the service bookings on MyPlace Portal. There is a particular specific time given to the provider for claiming against funds for all the services they have rendered. Since some of the providers may take a longer time, thus you must call your NDIA to request to end all your bookings.
- Exercising your choice & control- There is no need to disclose your previous service provider’s reasons why you want to switch them. You may or may not tell the reasons for your shift in your service providers. It is entirely up to you.
Step 2
Re-evaluating your existing situation.
When you are already receiving NDIS services, you may require combining steps 1 and 2 to re-evaluate what you stand in your life currently, your goals, and all the reasons for this change.
Utilize this period of change for potentially making all the crucial decisions that could prove to be beneficial for your life. The previous provider might be right, but it has altered its arrangements, and you are so used to it that you no longer find it that good.
Reassess everything currently going on in your life and find about what you want to do distinctly in the future. There might be the possibility that now you are searching for services that are to be delivered on some different days or at a completely different place.
It would be best if you always had a clear idea about the things that benefit you the most. This is one of the most crucial steps in getting all the things right before beginning your communication with all potential service providers.
- Reassess your existing NDIS plan
- Do you have the same goals, or have they changed?
- How much funding is left in the NDIS plan to avail supports & services you are now searching for?
- With your current NDIS funding, what kind and type of support are you thinking about to opt for?
- You are required to ascertain all the things incomplete for deciding upon your new service provider. You also have to compare the old price structure with a new provider to understand whether you can switch to the new service at this budget.
- There could be a possibility of the availability of some new services or activities that have not been thought about earlier and could become available at this time of transition.
Step 3
Choosing a new service provider
This is a bit challenging step. At times, there are so many choices available, and there are very few at other times. It takes a bit of your time and effort to sort out all the available options. In the end, it is in the hands of the participant to choose the provider, and there are certain specific things to be considered before selecting the most appropriate service provider:
- Location of provider
- How their supports & services are fitting into your NDIS funds
- Pricing of services and supports
- What all types of services and supports they are offering? Do they render the supports that you are searching for?
- What are their modes of communication?
- Will they be communicating when it is convenient for you, in the location you prefer, or expecting the participant to contact them?
- What is the extent of choice and control that you exercise while you are availing of their supports? Do you have the option to change the supports that you receive without any penalty? Find out what are provisions are available?
- What will happen in a situation when a complaint arises? Do they require to be ensured that you are entirely comfortable while putting all questions & raising all your concerns in front of your providers?
What to do when there is a significant change in circumstances?
Some of the individuals want to switch their service providers due to some imminent shift in their circumstances. There is a specific provision that has been laid out by NDIA when there is some alteration in your existing cases. Under such a situation, first of all, you have to inform the NDIA authorities that there is a transformation in your circumstances and you want to seek some advice from them.
As per the NDIA guidelines, any shift in your circumstances serves as a crucial event or transformation in your life that may impact your:
- NDIS Plan
- Access request
- Status of being NDIS participant
For instance, you must communicate to NDIS under the situation when:
- A change in a requirement for participant’s disability support
- There is a significant change in all your informal care arrangements
- You are either applying/receiving or being entitled to injury compensation
- You are planning for a move (shifting your accommodation)
- You are planning to move abroad
- You are planning to move to an aged care home permanently
The participant can inform the NDIA about the change in circumstances by calling 1800 800 110. The above information and tips will help you make your entire journey of changing service providers easier & streamlined & upgrading all your skills and capacities for becoming the leader of your NDIS plan.
