NDIS Practice Standards

LEAD Consulting Services Pty Ltd (LEAD Consulting)

CORE MODULE

1. Rights and Responsibilities

  • Person-centred supports
    • The legal and human rights of each participant are understood and incorporated into everyday practice.
    • Communication with participants is responsive to needs and provided in terms they can understand.
    • Participants are supported to engage with family, friends and the community.
  • Individual Values and Beliefs
    • The culture, diversity, values and beliefs of participants are identified and responded to with sensitivity.
    • Participants’ rights to practice their culture, values and beliefs is supported.
  • Privacy and Dignity
    • Consistent processes and practices to support the privacy and dignity of all participants are in place.
    • Each participant is informed of confidentiality policies in terms they can understand.
    • Each participant agrees to what information will be collected and why.
  • Independence and Informed Choice
    • Active decision-making and individual choice are supported for all participants.
    • Participants are supported to make informed choices about benefits and risks of options under consideration.
    • Autonomy is respected, including right to intimacy.
    • Participants are given sufficient time to consider options and seek advice, at any stage of support provision.
    • Each participant’s right to access an advocate is supported.
  • Violence, Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation and Discrimination
    • Policies, procedures and practices which actively prevent violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination are in place.
    • Participants are provided with information about the use of an advocate and supported to access an advocate in cases of violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination.
    • Allegations and incidents of violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination are acted upon, affected participants are supported, records are made, and actions are taken to prevent similar incidents.

2. Provider Governance and Operational Management

  • Governance and Operational Management
    • Opportunities are provided for participants to have input into the governance of the organisation and the development of policy and processes.
    • A defined structure to meet financial, regulatory, legislative, and contractual obligations is implemented.
    • Skills required to govern effectively are identified and training is undertaken when necessary.
    • Strategic and business planning considers legislative requirements, organisational risks, and other requirements of operating within the NDIS.
    • Governing body monitors performance of management, to drive continuous improvement.
    • The provider is managed by suitably qualified persons with clearly defined responsibility, authority, and accountability.
    • A documented system of delegated responsibility and authority is in place, for when a position holder is absent.
    • Conflicts of interest are proactively managed and documented.
  • Risk Management
    • Risks are identified, analysed, prioritised, and treated, including risks to participants, financial risks, work health and safety risks, and risks associated with the provision of supports.
    • A documented system to effectively manage risks is in place.
    • Support delivery is linked to a risk management system.
  • Quality Management
    • A quality management system, defining how to meet legislation requirements and the NDIS Practice Standards, is in place.
    • There is a documented program of internal audits of the system.
    • The system uses outcomes, risk data, evidence-informed practice, and feedback to support continuous improvement.
  • Information Management
    • Participants’ consent is obtained to collect, use, and retain their information or to disclose their information to other parties.
    • Each participant is informed of how their information is stored and used, and how they can access and change their information.
    • Information is recorded in an information management system in an accurate and timely manner.
    • Documents are stored with appropriate processes for use, access, transfer, storage, security, retrieval, retention, destruction, and disposal in place.
  • Feedback and Complaints Management
    • A complaints management and resolution system is maintained.
    • Participants are provided with information on how to provide feedback or make a complaint.
    • Complaint and feedback policies are regularly reviewed, to support continuous improvement.
    • All workers are trained to follow complaints management policies and procedures.
  • Incident Management
    • An incident management system is maintained.
    • Participants are provided with information on incident management, including how incidents involving them have been managed.
    • Incident management policies and procedures are regularly reviewed, to support continuous improvement.
    • All workers are trained to follow incident management policies and procedures.
  • Human Resource Management
    • The responsibilities, scope, limitations, and required skills and knowledge of each position are identified and documented.
    • Records of worker qualifications, experience, and pre-employment checks are maintained.
    • An orientation and induction process for workers is in place.
    • A system is in place to identify, plan, facilitate, record, and evaluate the effectiveness of training and education, including mandatory training.
    • Supervision, support, and resources are available to workers.
    • The performance of workers is managed, developed, and documented.
  • Continuity of Supports
    • Day-to-day operations are managed in an effective way to avoid disruption and ensure continuity of supports.
    • Suitably qualified and/or experienced workers will fill the role of absent workers.
    • Supports are planned with participants to meet specific needs and preferences.
    • Arrangements are made to ensure supports are provided to participants without interruption throughout the period of their service agreement.
    • When changes or interruptions are unavoidable, they are explained and agreed to with the participant.
    • Disaster preparedness and planning measures are in place to ensure provision of critical supports before, during, and after a disaster.
  • Emergency and Disaster Management
    • Measures are in place to enable continuity of supports that are critical to the safety, health and wellbeing of each participant before, during and after an emergency or disaster.
    • The governing body develops emergency and disaster management plans, consults with participants and their support networks about the plans, and puts the plans in place.
    • The governing body communicates the plans to workers, participants and their support networks.
    • Each worker is trained in the implementation of the plans.

3. Provision of Supports

  • Access to Supports
    • Available supports are clearly defined and documented. This information is provided to participants in terms they can understand.
    • Reasonable adjustments are made to the support delivery environment, to ensure it is fit for purpose.
    • Participants are supported to understand under what circumstances support can be withdrawn.
  • Support Planning
    • Work is done in partnership with each participant and their support network to assess needs and develop a support plan.
    • Needs, support requirements, preferences, strengths, and goals are included in the assessment and support plan.
    • A risk assessment is completed with each participant, and included in their support plan, along with strategies to manage and eliminate risks.
    • Periodic reviews of risk management strategies are undertaken.
    • Support plans are reviewed with participants at least once a year, according to changing needs and circumstances.
    • Where progress is different from expected outcomes, work is done with each participant to update their support plan.
    • Information on support plans is communicated to family, carers, other providers, and government agencies only when required and with consent the of the participant.
  • Service Agreements with Participants
    • Collaboration occurs with each participant to develop service agreements which establish expectations, explain supports, and specifies conditions attached to the delivery of supports.
    • Each participant is supported to understand their service agreement, using terms they can understand.
    • Each participant receives a copy of their service agreement. When this is not possible, a record is made of the reasons they could not receive a copy.
    • For providers delivering supported independent living supports in specialist disability accommodation, agreements should outline the parties responsible for the following matters:
      • How a participant’s concerns about the dwelling will be communicated.
      • How potential conflicts will be managed.
      • How changes to circumstances and/or support needs will be agreed.
      • How vacancies will be filled in shared living.
      • How behaviours of concern will be managed.
  • Responsive Support Provision
    • Supports are provided based on the least intrusive options, meeting contemporary evidence-based practices.
    • With participants’ consent, links are made with other providers to meet participant needs.
    • Reasonable efforts are made to involve participants in selecting their workers.
    • For needs which require monitoring and/or daily support, workers are appropriately trained and understand participant needs and preferences.
  • Transitions to or from the Provider
    • A planned transition to or from the provider is done in collaboration with each participant.
    • Risks associated with transitions are identified, documented, and responded to.
    • Processes for transitioning to or from the provider are developed, applied, reviewed, and communicated.

4. Support Provision Environment

  • Safe Environment
    • Each participant can easily identify workers engaged to provide their supports.
    • Where supports are provided in a participant’s home, work is done with the participant to ensure a safe support delivery environment.
    • Where appropriate, work is done with other providers and services to identify and treat risks, ensure safe environments, and prevent and manage injuries.
  • Participant Money and Property
    • Participants’ money or other property is only used with their consent.
    • Processes to ensure participant’s money and property are managed, protected, and accounted for are developed, applied, reviewed, and communicated.
    • Each participant is supported to access and spend their own money as the participant determines.
    • Participants are not given financial advice other than that which is reasonably required under their support plan.
  • Management of Medication
    • The medication and dosages required by each participant is clearly recorded, including information required to identify the participant and safely administer the medication.
    • All workers responsible for medication understand the effects and side effects of the medication and steps to take in case of an incident.
    • All medications are stored safely and securely and are only accessed by appropriate workers.
  • Management of Waste
    • Policies, procedures, and practices are developed for the safe and appropriate storage and disposal of waste.
    • All incidents involving infectious material, body substances, or hazardous substances are reported, recorded, investigated, and reviewed.
    • An emergency plan is in place to respond to clinical waste or hazardous substance management issues or accidents.
    • Workers are trained in the safe handling of waste and hazardous substances.

5. Specialist Support Coordination Module

  • Specialised Support Coordination
    • Support Coordinators understand the risk factors experienced by each participant with high-risk and/or complex needs.
    • Participants are involved in the evaluation of their situation and the identification of the supports required to prevent or respond to a crisis, incident or breakdown of support arrangements, and the promotion of safety for the participant and others.
    • Consultation is undertaken with the participant and, with the participant’s consent, the participant’s support network and mainstream services (as appropriate) in planning and coordinating supports to implement the participant’s plan, and any plan review.
    • In consideration of each participant’s individual needs, preferences and circumstances, suitable NDIS providers and mainstream service providers that have the appropriate skills and experience to deliver the required support are identified.
  • Management of a Participant’s NDIS Supports
    • Supports and services are arranged using the participant’s NDIS amounts as directed by the participant and for the purposes intended by the participant.
    • Each participant is supported to build their capacity to coordinate, self-direct, and manage their supports and to understand how to participate in Agency planning processes such as establishing agreements with service providers and managing budget flexibility.
    • Supports funded under a participant’s plan are used effectively and efficiently, and are complemented by community and mainstream services to achieve the objectives of the participant’s plan.
  • Conflict of Interest
    • Conflict of interest policies are provided or explained to each participant using the language, mode of communication and terms that the participant is most likely to understand.
    • Each participant is supported to understand the distinction between the provision of specialised support coordination and other reasonable and necessary supports funded under a participant’s plan using the language, mode of communication and terms that the participant is most likely to understand.
    • If the provider has an interest in any support option available to the participant, the participant is aware of this interest. The participant understands that any choice they made about providers of other supports will not impact on the provision of the specialised support coordination.

Some areas of Specialised Support Coordination we coordinate are:

  • linking participants with mental health, drug alcohol, crime prevention & rehabilitation programs.
  • rehabilitation and recovery programs.
  • Home modifications.
  • Vehicle modifications.
  • All allied health services.