Background and Process
In October 2022, the Hon Minister Bill Shorten announced an Independent Review into the NDIS, run by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. In March 2023, the NDIS Review Panel offered funding to the Disability Representative Organisations (DROs) to consult with their members and networks to gather on-the-ground information as to how the NDIS could work better for people with a disability. In conjunction with the Review, the NMHCCF, as the DRO for psychosocial disability, developed an engagement plan in order to inform the Review’s final report, due in late October 2023.
As part of the engagement plan, the NMHCCF planned a total of six consultations, each lasting two hours: three with people with a psychosocial disability, and three with the carers, family, and kin of people with a psychosocial disability. Furthermore, the NMHCCF attempted to target cohorts that are underrepresented in the data for psychosocial supports, such as NDIS participants and their family, carers, and kin with co-occurring disabilities, and Lived Experience with intersectionalities. Consultation sessions were held from 28 August to 6 September 2023, and totalled 32 participants: 18 consumers and 14 carers.
To develop this project, the NMHCCF founded a PSG with knowledgeable members in the psychosocial disability sector and each with Lived Experience. The PSG held three organisational meetings to develop recruitment strategies for consultation facilitators, peer support workers, and the differing participant cohorts, develop the content of the consultations, and select cohort participants. A final meeting was conducted on 18 September 2023, together with the PSG and facilitators, to draft outcomes using the material gathered from the consultations and surveys.
The summary report was handed to the Review Secretariat on 2 October 2023, with the goal of having all of its recommendations included in the Independent Review’s final report. This is with the ultimate aim of subsequently having the recommendations implemented by the Australian Government to benefit people living with a psychosocial disability and their family, carers, and kin.
Summary Report
NDIS Review Consultations held by the NMHCCF: Summary Report
