Are you a new NDIS provider or just thinking about becoming a provider?
It’s great that you are thinking about becoming a NDIS provider or have embarked on that journey. The sector needs providers who put the needs and safety of NDIS participants first and foremost.
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Remember you don’t need to be registered to be a provider of services to NDIS participants whose plan is plan or self-managed for most services. Whilst unregistered providers don’t need to demonstrate they meet the NDIS Practice Standards, they still need to meet a few requirements of the NDIS Commission.
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If you are seeking to become registered you will need to have a provisional audit from a certified auditing body. Becoming registered requires being audited against the NDIS Practice Standards. Whilst the audit process costs you money and can be stressful, being registered gives you and your participants peace of mind that the services you provide ensure a level of safety and quality for your participants. If you are thinking about differentiating your service from others in the NDIS market, surely safety and quality are high on the list of things that your potential participants are looking for.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has produced a free Provider Information Pack. It’s a very good resource to help you understand the process so if you haven’t already downloaded the pack, you probably should.
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How Orgnex helps new NDIS providers
There are many consultants who offer services to new and experienced NDIS providers. Some offer a raft of policies, procedures, forms and registers designed to help a new provider meet the requirements of an NDIS audit. Some offer advice and support around marketing and being a successful business. Some consultants offer all of this and more.
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Very few consultants can offer first-hand experience of managing an NDIS provider as well as auditing NDIS providers. This is the experience that Phil Miller of Orgnex draws upon to help new NDIS providers understand what is involved in being an NDIS provider and delivering the highest quality services you can.
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Orgnex offers individual guidance to answer whatever questions you might have about becoming a new provider. We are also commencing group training sessions covering common areas of interest for new providers as a cost effective way for new providers to start their NDIS journey. We will talk you through each of the Outcomes and Indicators of the NDIS Practice Standards.
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In terms of the NDIS Practice Standards, Orgnex has first-hand experience in delivering services that fall under Core Module, Implementing Behaviour Support Plans (Module 2A) and Specialised Support Coordination (Module 4). If these terms don’t mean much to you at the moment, there are plenty of resources on the internet including through the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
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We presently don’t offer advice or support beyond these modules. Providers should only offer services that they are competent to deliver – it’s the same for Orgnex.
If you want some expert advice to support your NDIS provider journey or even whether you should start that journey, contact Orgnex. Remember your first consultation with Orgnex is free.
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Are you preparing for your first NDIS audit?
Audits can be stressful. The best way to alleviate some of the anxiety around an NDIS audit is to have confidence that you what you have in place and what you do meets the requirement of the NDIS Practice Standards.
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If you are scheduled to have a Provisional or Stage 1 audit remember that these will focus on your documentation. The auditor might also want to check your understanding of your policies and procedures so, as well as reviewing your documentation, they will probably also interview you.
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If you have purchased your documentation from a reputable consultant their documents should be designed to meet the requirements of the NDIS Practice Standards. This should give you a level of reassurance. However, know that as an auditor, I have found gaps in documentation provided by consultants. Once you get to audit stage, you can’t blame the consultant for any gaps. The documents you have bought belong to you and the auditor will expect you to know what’s in them and how you intend to apply them.
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Take time to read and digest what’s in your policies and procedures. Know which forms and templates you will use in what circumstances. This is not just about increasing your chances of the auditor not finding non-conformances in your audit. Really these are your base from which you should be able to provide high quality services and keep your NDIS participants safe. If you don’t know what your own processes are to do this, you are not setting yourself up for success. Instead, you will be putting people who are already vulnerable at risk. The consequences of ill-informed decisions could be catastrophic for participants and their loved ones, the death knell for your business and something you will need to live with forever.
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Orgnex has experience in being audited and conducting audits against the NDIS Practice Standards. Orgnex offers individual guidance to answer whatever questions you might have about being audited. We are also commencing group training sessions to help providers know what to expect from an NDIS audit as a cost effective way for NDIS providers to prepare for their audit.
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If you already have participants, it is a requirement of the NDIS Practice Standards (Quality Management) that you conduct internal audits. If done properly, your internal audits will identify areas you need to strengthen and give you confidence in your processes. Conducting internal audits can be new for many providers. Orgnex can provide guidance and advice about how to undertake effective internal audits. We can also work with you to conduct an internal audit, including providing a report of audit findings and support to implement any corrective actions.
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Note that if your choose to work with Orgnex as your consultant to help you prepare for an audit, your consultant cannot be your auditor. That would be a conflict of interest and breach one of the seven principles of auditing – auditors cannot audit their own work.