What is an NDIS service agreement?
If you are going to use your budget from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to pay for housing, living, or health-related support, you must enter into a contract with the organisation(s) or individual(s) providing these services. Although this may sound a little daunting, it is relatively easy to do with the help and support of an organisation such as Instacare. In this article, we’ve laid out a few of the things to expect from service agreement and how Instacare is here to help.
An NDIS service agreement is essentially an agreement that clarifies what is expected of both you and your provider that is covered by the Australian Consumer Law.
The National Disability Insurance Association (NDIA) recommends that beneficiaries of the scheme insist on establishing an agreement in writing so that both parties can easily refer back and remind themselves of their obligations. This could include, for example, the kind of support that will be provided and how it should be delivered.
Making a service agreement should involve negotiation between service users and their prospective providers. If desired, a person close to the service user such as a family member or a friend can oversee negotiations. Most of the time, providers have their own default service agreements that service users can adopt to save time. However, it should always be possible to generate your own or tweak the default agreement slightly.
Providers should do their utmost to ensure that service users understand all aspects of the agreement, communicating in a way that is clear and takes into account any barriers to comprehension.
Under the NDIS, written service agreement must be established for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) support to be provided. For other kinds of support, a written service agreement is not a requirement.
Factors to consider when making an agreement
Before negotiating a service agreement, you should try to consider the following factors:
- What support needs to be provided
- Your provider’s responsibilities
- How long the agreement should last
- Contingency plans if the agreement needs to be changed
- Your responsibilities as a service user
- The cost of support and whether your budget covers it
- The kinds of dispute resolution processes that should be in place.
Including these factors in your service agreement will ensure that you receive a service that suits your needs.
Instacare is here to help. We do not offer direct care services, so act as an independent party with no conflict of interest. Our online portal is simple to use and can be accessed via a mobile device, making managing your NDIS funding and support amazingly easy. Get in touch with us today for more information and advice.
