NDIS participants with more than one disability struggle to access appropriate funding

Martin has suffered from chronic limb pain all his life, but it is getting worse.

“I usually only leave the house twice a week,” said the 26-year-old, who lives in north-west Tasmania.

He now uses a wheelchair most of the time — he recently bought a new one for about $1,000.

But it’s second hand, so there are a few pieces missing, and others are wrapped in duct tape. It doesn’t fit him either.

Martin receives a disability pension and receives funding from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to cover his autism but not his physical disabilities.

This means he cannot afford a proper wheelchair, a ramp to help him get in and out of the house, or physiotherapy to help him cope with his chronic pain.

I am struggling to get a formal diagnosis

Martin is trying to prove that his physical disability will be lifelong to hopefully be covered by his NDIS plan.

“I haven’t been able to prove at this point that they’re permanent. To prove that they’re permanent, you have to have a doctor confirm that.”

He is currently on a waiting list to see an orthopaedic specialist, but the wait for an appointment at a local hospital in north-west Tasmania is almost a year.

“They probably won’t be able to tell me anything on the first visit, and there’s a good chance they’ll refer me to different specialists,” he said.

“And I’ll have to start the whole waiting process all over again — it’s very frustrating.”

Martin’s latest attempt to get the NDIS to change its plan was rejected due to “insufficient evidence”.

He said the situation was “destroying” his mental health.

People “fall through the gaps”

Disability rights advocate Jane Wardlaw said one of the issues people face when trying to access and navigate the NDIS is that consultations are mostly online or by phone.

She added that while this could be useful, people should be able to meet in person so the agency can see and understand their disabilities and support needs.

“People are reviewing plans or trying to access the NDIS but there is no face-to-face meeting,” she said.

A Department of Social Services spokesman said the government had allocated $20 million from its budget for public consultation on the use of disability benefits, including the NDIS.

“Consultation and design work will involve disabled people, states and territories, and the wider disability sector to ensure the proposed navigation model is fit for purpose and able to meet the diverse needs of the disabled community,” they said.

Another problem, Ms Wardlaw said, is the shortage of professionals who can certify that a person’s disability is permanent and has a significant impact on the rest of their life.

She added that the situation had been “made even worse” by cuts in funding for organisations working for disabled people.

Belinda Jessup, a lecturer in rural medicine at the University of Tasmania, said people using the NDIS and those trying to access it were facing staffing shortages in healthcare.

“NDIS participants typically need to familiarise themselves with three core allied health professions: physiotherapist, occupational therapist and speech and language therapist,” she said.

“So the shortages in OT and particularly in speech are the ones that are most affecting NDIS clients.”

The NDIS is set to change

A review of the NDIS carried out in December last year recommended that entry to the scheme should be based primarily on disability level and need.

Martin would like the NDIS to no longer focus on diagnosis alone, so that his NDIS plan can be expanded to include the needs of his physical disability.

While the federal government has not formally responded to the review, a bill to overhaul the NDIS is in the Senate. It aims to make eligibility clearer and reduce spending to ensure the program’s long-term sustainability.

Speaking in Parliament in March, NDIS Minister Bill Shorten outlined the changes.