The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), is a government initiative that has changed the way Australians living with disability, access healthcare. The government scheme aims to support a better life for the thousands of Australians with a significant and or permanent disability and their families and caregivers.

The National Disability Insurance Agency, also referred to as the NDIA, holds the funding for the scheme and employs the care planners who carry out assessments to make sure each patient has the funding they need to manage their disability and quality of life.

With significant changes to the disability support systems, the NDIA was created to ensure people with disability continue to get the support they need. The scheme is currently being introduced and rolled out nationally, in a gradual manner to ensure a smooth transition and avoid any gaps in care.

The NDIS caters for the 4.2 million Australians, or 18.5 percent of the population who are living with a disability. There are around 1.4 million people who are living with what is classified as a severe or profound disability.

The NDIS takes into consideration that 2.7 million provide informal care to an older person or someone with a disability and/or long-term health condition. That’s around 12 percent of the population.

The NDIS is empowering patients to take control of their care plan by choosing the services and service providers they believe best suits their needs.

The NDIS program was developed because it realised that people with disability want to be a part of the decision making process when determining the care they receive to ensure this care aligns with their life goals. Therapy Care want you to live your life to the fullest and during your first consultation with your case manager, you will together do goal setting activities to ensure the services and support we provide, help you to live the life of your dreams.

The NDIS is currently being rolled out throughout Australia and will be available to all Australians living with disability within the next few years. To find out when it is available in your area, visit http://www.ndis.gov.au/.

If you are not yet in communication with the NDIA, and are trying to find out how to access the NDIS, Therapy Care can assist in helping you open lines of communication with the NDIA, help you prepare for the meetings and arm you with the knowledge you need to get the best access and funding available for you.

To find out what services are best for you, the first thing to do is to contact a care provider, like Therapy Care. Therapy Care will recommend services based on your abilities and goals and work with you from there.

To find out what services are best suited for you to help you achieve your goals and to start accessing the care you need, contact Therapy Care today. We will assign a case manager to work with you and together, you will complete the steps to access the care available to you.