Time on your side

If there’s one thing that can help support our mental health and wellbeing – and keep stress at bay – it’s knowing what to expect and when, so we can stick to a routine.

There are loads of things in life that are outside of our control, everything from world events and weather through to the outbreak of a global pandemic. But when there are smaller things within our sphere of influence – like setting schedules or knowing when to expect something by – well, this can be really helpful.

If you’re a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participant, or planning to apply to join the Scheme, it’s reassuring to know there’s a Participant Service Guarantee to support you and keep things on track.

Through the Participant Service Guarantee, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has set out timeframes for delivery of its services, so you can know how long something is expected to take. That time can be from ‘as soon as possible’ if you’re looking to make a time for a meeting to start your NDIS plan, right to up to 90 days to approve a plan for a child younger than seven years old.

Every three months, the NDIA reports against the Participant Service Guarantee in its Quarterly Report. This report indicates how frequently the Agency is hitting its maximum timeframe targets to respond to participants (or those wanting to become participants) and deliver actions and outcomes it has committed to.

The Participant Service Guarantee covers expected timeframes in four areas:

• Getting started with the NDIS
• Getting a plan
• Changing a plan
• Making a complaint

You can refer to the Participant Service Guarantee whenever you’re starting an enquiry with the NDIA or following up on progress. It will give you more certainty about how long processes will take and save you unnecessary enquiries, because you’ll have a clearer understanding of expected timeframes.

The NDIA also has a Participant Service Charter, which explains how the Agency will work alongside participants – again, it’s all about knowing what to expect.

The NDIA is committed to five service principles in its relationship with participants – to be:

• Transparent
• Responsive
• Respectful
• Empowering
• Connected

The Participant Service Charter is also available in a video version, along with an Auslan-interpreted video. There are also Easy Read versions and translations into:

• Arabic
• Chinese (traditional)
• Filipino
• French
• Greek
• Hindi
• Italian
• Macedonian
• Samoan
• Spanish
• Vietnamese