The NDIS should work for you. But sometimes it doesn’t.
Maybe your support worker keeps cancelling. Your local area coordinator won’t return calls. Or you’re stuck with a provider who treats you like a checkbox on their to-do list rather than a person with real needs and goals.
Frustrating? Absolutely.
But here’s what matters: you don’t have to put up with it. NDIS participants have specific rights. There are concrete steps you can take. And yes, you can fire providers who aren’t doing their job properly.
Your Rights Under the NDIS Act
The National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 gives you concrete rights. Not suggestions or guidelines, actual legal rights.
You get to determine your own best interests. You engage as an equal partner in decisions that affect your life. And you have the same right as any other Australian to pursue grievances when things go wrong.
This includes choosing who provides your support and how they deliver it. Don’t like your current arrangement? You can change providers. This applies to support coordination services, plan managers, direct care workers, all of it.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission exists to oversee providers. They’re supposed to ensure you receive quality, safe supports.
The problem is, they can’t read minds. They only know about issues when someone reports them.
Problems You Might Face
NDIS issues fall into several categories.
Staff problems happen. Local area coordinators who don’t treat participants respectfully. Early childhood partners who make promises they don’t keep. NDIS planners who stop responding to your requests for contact.
Provider issues are different but equally disruptive. You might not get the service you agreed to receive. Your supported independent living arrangement might be substandard. Support workers might show up late, leave early, or not show up at all.
Then there are funding disputes, plan disagreements, and situations where you simply don’t feel safe with your current supports.
Dealing with NDIS Staff Issues
Try talking to them first. If you can handle it.
Look, many problems happen because people aren’t communicating properly. Not because someone’s deliberately trying to make your life difficult.
Can’t manage that conversation? Fair enough. Some situations make direct communication impossible or unsafe. Find someone you trust to help navigate the conversation. This might be a family member, an advocate, or your current support coordination team.
If talking doesn’t work, make a formal complaint. You have several options:
- Use the NDIS online feedback form
- Email [email protected]
- Call 1800 800 110
- Contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission directly
The NDIS Participant Service Guarantee exists for a reason. It sets out specific timelines for complaint responses.
They can’t just ignore you until they feel like responding.
Provider Problems Require Different Action
Provider issues need a different approach entirely.
First, know this: you can change providers at any time. Your respite care team isn’t working out? Switch. Unhappy with how daily activities are being delivered? Find someone else.
All NDIS providers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct. They also must have complaint procedures, check their website or ask them directly about their process.
Contact providers quickly when problems arise. Explain your concerns clearly. Be specific about what needs to change. Don’t just complain, tell them exactly what you want to see happen differently.
Need backup for these conversations? Ask someone you trust to help you prepare. Or have them come with you when you talk to providers.
Provider won’t listen? Time to escalate.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission handles complaints about unsafe service delivery, substandard care, or providers who can’t manage complaints properly. They have actual authority to do something about it.
When Safety Becomes the Issue
Some situations require immediate action.
Physical harm. Inappropriate touching. Pressure to do things that make you uncomfortable. Being left alone when you need supervision.
Don’t wait. Talk to someone you trust right now, your nominee, family member, local area coordinator, or support coordination provider.
Immediate danger? Call 000. For ongoing abuse or neglect concerns, contact the National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline. It’s free, independent, and confidential.
Plan Problems vs Provider Problems
Sometimes the issue isn’t with who’s delivering support but with the plan itself.
Ask yourself: Do I have the right goals? Appropriate funding? Is the right mix of support for my current situation? Have my circumstances changed since my last review?
Plan issues get handled through different channels. Contact your local area coordinator or call the NDIS on 1800 800 110.
You might need:
- A plan variation (for minor changes)
- A plan reassessment (for significant circumstance changes)
- An internal review (if you disagree with NDIS decisions)
The NDIS must respond to variation and reassessment requests within 21 days. Internal reviews should be completed within 60 days. Keep using your current funding while waiting for outcomes.
External Appeals When Internal Reviews Fail
Internal review didn’t work? You can appeal to the Administrative Review Tribunal within 28 days of receiving the NDIS decision.
This is an independent body. They review NDIS decisions without bias toward the original decision-makers.
Free advocacy support exists through the National Disability Advocacy Program. Each state has local advocates who help navigate the appeal process. You don’t have to do this alone.
Consumer Rights Apply Too
NDIS participants have the same consumer rights as everyone else when purchasing supports. Australian Consumer Law protections apply to your NDIS-funded services.
This means guarantees about service quality, safety, and fitness for purpose. Providers can’t just shrug off substandard service delivery because it’s NDIS-funded.
Taking Action
Document everything. Write everything down. Every conversation, every missed appointment, every broken promise.
This isn’t being petty. It’s being smart. When you need to escalate complaints or change providers, this documentation becomes your evidence.
Stop accepting poor service because you think you’re stuck. You’re not. You do have options. Provider changes are common and entirely within your rights.
Your NDIS supports should enhance your independence and help you achieve your goals. When they don’t, it’s time to act.
Quality Progressive Care works within the NDIS system every day. We understand these complexities because we live them.
Our team provides culturally responsive support. We put your needs first, not what’s convenient for our paperwork or bureaucratic processes. Current providers letting you down? Need help navigating NDIS disputes? Contact us and let’s discuss how we can better serve your goals and get your support working properly again.
