The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and the University of Melbourne have launched a new research project that will seek feedback from National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants on initiatives introduced to support them during COVID-19 pandemic.
From March 2020, the NDIA made a number of changes to the way the NDIS works to ensure participants could continue to access services and supports.
The NDIA wants to hear from participants, families and carers on their experiences with;
· interacting with the NDIA
· using telehealth to access allied health services and;
· accessing NDIS funded services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Shannon Rees, NDIA spokesperson, encouraged NDIS participants to share their views by completing the online survey, which will be available on the NDIS website from 22 June until August.
'The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for all Australians," Ms Rees said.
'This anonymous survey gives participants, their families and carers a chance to share participants' experience of interacting with the Agency and the Scheme during this period.
"Particularly, the feedback will give us valuable insight into how participants have found changes such as using telehealth to access their supports as well as helping the Agency to make future decisions, for example, on the use of phone or video for planning meetings."
Chief Researcher Professor Kim Bennell from Melbourne University's Department of Physiotherapy said the University will independently analyse the experience of participants regarding planning, monitoring and delivery of services.
"We hope the research will allow us to draw valuable insights from the NDIS community, on what worked well and what could have been done better during the COVID-19 pandemic."
The research is funded by the Melbourne Disability Institute at the University of Melbourne and the NDIA. The research has ethical approval from the Central Human Research Ethics Committee at the University of Melbourne.
The survey is designed to capture the experience of NDIS participants however, family, carers, and support workers can fill in the survey on behalf of an NDIS participant. The survey, which is expected to take 15 to 20 minutes to complete, is available at ndis.gov.au/community/have-your-say
[
