A survey of almost 3000 NDIS participants had positive outcomes when it came to accessing the NDIS and transitioning to remote services during Covid.
The University of Melbourne collaborated with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to conduct the survey that found that 63 per cent of participants were successful in moving the NDIS support to remote delivery via video or telephone. And one in three indicated they were likely to use telehealth services after the pandemic. And experiences did not differ according to age, disability, remoteness or language spoken at home.
Other highlights from the report showed:
- Two in three participants felt their recent NDIS experience was better or the same as their previous face-to-face meetings
- 45 per cent of participants said they would likely choose a plan review by phone or video in the future
- Most participants found telehealth technology easy to use, felt comfortable and safe and believed the care they received from allied healthcare professionals during consultations was effective.
NDIA CEO Martin Hoffman said the agency introduced temporary measures in 2020 to ensure NDIS participants continued to receive their essential disability-related supports.
“These reports give us an insight into the success of those measures, and the ability of our participants to access their supports during what was a very challenging period for everyone,” Hoffman said.
The University of Melbourne research results are available. The reports on Participant Experience and Participant and Family/Carer Outcomes, are available on the NDIS website.