Let’s face it, compliance is not the most exciting topic. However, it is a necessary evil for the business continuity of registered and unregistered providers. Non-compliance whether accidental or deliberate can result in civil penalties or criminal matters.
The go-to document for everything compliance is the NDIS Practice Standards. It provides a benchmark for providers to assess and demonstrate how they provide high-quality and safe supports to participants. Alongside the NDIS Code of Conduct, it provides participants with increased awareness of what quality provision looks like.
The Standards are divided into three modules:
- Core: for all NDIS providers delivering higher risk supports and services.
- Supplementary: specialised modules for areas such as high intensity and specialist supports e.g. behaviour, early childhood, SDA.
- Verification: for NDIS providers delivering lower risk supports and services.
Each module contains high-level and participant-focused outcomes. These outcomes are measured by quality indicators which detail how providers may show compliance.
Compliance with the NDIS Practice Standards is a requirement for ongoing registration as an NDIS provider. During registration providers must complete a self-assessment against each standard providing evidence of compliance such as relevant policies, procedures and practices. A feat that is practically impossible without the supporting documentation.
Although unregistered providers are not regularly audited by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS QSC), they are subject to random audits. Audits can also be undertaken because of substantiated complaints against the provider. In these situations, non-compliance can result in worker or provider bans and civil penalties. Having clearly communicated policies and procedures helps to mitigate these situations.
To delve further into the murky area of compliance, over the next few articles we will explore the NDIS Standards Core Module. This is divided into 4 sections:
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Rights and Responsibilities
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Governance and Operational Management
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Provision of Supports
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Provision of Supports Environment.
Stay tuned for a closer look at the types of policies, procedures and practices the NDIA is looking for in each of these sections 