Allied Health Practice in the NDIS

Therapy supports help participants improve or maintain their functional abilities, skills and independence. This lesson explains how the NDIA describes and funds them. Key points: capacity building therapy supports have goals, outcomes and a timeframe, while maintenance therapy supports help keep abilities and slow decline; therapy must be evidence based; only qualified professionals registered with AHPRA or accredited by the relevant peak body for self regulated professions can deliver therapy supports; therapy supports are funded as stated supports; and some practices, such as complementary therapies and gym memberships, cannot be funded as therapy.

In the NDIS, therapy is driven by the participant's own goals, not only by clinical priorities. This lesson explains how to put goals at the centre of your work. Key points: start by understanding the participant's goals in their own words; agree therapy outcomes that clearly link to those goals; involve the participant and, where they want, their family in setting priorities; use supported decision making where needed; build the skills of informal supports and workers so progress continues between sessions; and review goals and outcomes regularly with the participant.

Clear agreements and informed consent protect participants and practitioners. This lesson covers what a good service agreement includes and how consent works in allied health practice. Key points: agree in writing what will be delivered, how often, where, the prices and how cancellations, travel, non face to face work and reports will be charged; obtain informed consent for assessment, intervention and information sharing; students and provisional psychologists can only provide services under supervision and with the participant's agreement, documented in the service agreement; and consent can be withdrawn at any time.

Claims from a participant's plan must be accurate, agreed and within the current rules. This lesson covers the general principles. Key points: the NDIS pricing schedule sets maximum prices for NDIA managed and plan managed participants and providers cannot charge more; the current schedule lists separate items for direct service, non face to face work, provider travel, cancellations, NDIA requested reports and telehealth; claim only for work completed for that participant as agreed; general administration is not billable; pricing changes each year and in 2026 to 2027 is set through a new pricing determination, so always check the current documents.

Allied health reports are some of the most important evidence the NDIA uses. This lesson explains what makes a functional report useful. Key points: describe the functional impact of disability on daily life rather than only diagnosis; outline your service details, therapeutic approach, frequency and duration; describe functional capacity at the start of the period and the assessment measures used; show progress towards goals with the same measures; describe barriers, how you responded and any risks; and write in plain language so the participant and planner can both understand it.

Recommendations are the part of a report that most directly shapes the next plan. This lesson explains how to make them clear and defensible. Key points: recommend specific supports, including type, amount and duration; link each recommendation to a goal and a therapy outcome; include informal, community and mainstream supports, not only NDIS funded ones; explain expected outcomes and the risks if supports are not provided; stay within your scope of practice; and share the report with the participant so they understand and agree with what it says.

Therapy works best when it becomes part of daily life, and support workers are often the people who make that happen. This lesson covers how allied health professionals and support workers can work well together. Key points: with consent, share the practical parts of plans such as mealtime, manual handling or communication strategies; give clear, simple written and visual instructions; train and observe workers where the task carries risk; agree how workers will report changes or concerns; keep the support coordinator informed; and review plans when the participant's needs change.

Allied health professionals working in the NDIS have obligations under the NDIS framework and under their own profession. This lesson brings them together. Key points: the NDIS Code of Conduct applies to every NDIS provider and worker; registered providers must also meet the NDIS Practice Standards, including for incident management, complaints, worker screening and continuity; AHPRA registered practitioners must meet their National Board's registration standards, codes and guidelines; practitioners in self regulated professions must meet their peak body's requirements; and all practitioners must work within their scope and keep their skills current.

This case study follows Daniel, an occupational therapist writing a plan reassessment report for Mei, a young woman with an intellectual disability whose goal is to move into her own unit. It shows how Daniel links every recommendation to Mei's goal, uses the same measures at the start and at review, describes function rather than diagnosis, and stays honest when he is asked to overstate need. Key points: evidence must be accurate and within your scope, recommendations must be specific, and the participant should understand and recognise what is written about her.

This case study follows Hannah, a physiotherapist who writes a home exercise program for Rahul, a man with an acquired brain injury who wants to walk to his local mosque again. It shows how Hannah gets consent, trains his support workers hands on and leaves clear visual instructions, then responds when a worker reports new knee pain during an exercise. Key points: hand over strategies with consent, show, observe and give feedback, agree how workers report changes, pause and review when something changes, and update the instructions and retrain everyone.