What does an NDIS provider do? A plain-English guide for Newcastle and Lake Macquarie

If you are new to the NDIS, the word "provider" comes up a lot. Your plan is approved, and then everyone asks which providers you will use. This guide explains what an NDIS provider actually does, the difference between registered and unregistered providers, and how to find one near you in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter.

What an NDIS provider is

The NDIS says a provider is a person, business or organisation that delivers NDIS supports to participants. That is the whole definition. A provider can be a sole trader, a large company, a charity, a not-for-profit or any other kind of business.

Providers also have different areas of expertise. If you have funding for physiotherapy, the physiotherapist you choose is a provider. If you have funding for help at home, the organisation whose support workers come to your house is a provider. A plan is only as good as the people who deliver it, so this choice matters.

What a provider does

A provider delivers the supports written into your plan, to help you work towards your goals. In practice, a disability support provider like Your Way Living does things like:

• check_circleDelivers the support: support workers help with daily living, personal care, cooking, community outings, transport and building everyday skills.
• check_circleMatches workers to you: a good provider learns your routines, interests and goals, and chooses workers who fit.
• check_circleAgrees the details in writing: a service agreement sets out what supports you will get, what they cost, how the provider is paid and how to change the agreement.
• check_circleClaims from your plan: depending on how your plan is managed, the provider invoices the NDIA, your plan manager, or you.
• check_circleKeeps records and reports: providers keep notes on the support delivered and the progress made, which also helps at your next plan reassessment.
• check_circleKeeps you safe: providers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, respond to feedback and complaints, and report serious incidents.

Some providers help you use your plan rather than deliver day-to-day support. The NDIS calls these plan managers, support coordinators and psychosocial recovery coaches. You might have funding for them in your plan.

Registered or unregistered: what is the difference?

Providers can apply to be a registered NDIS provider with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. The NDIS says registered providers must meet strict conditions for the quality and safety of their services, and they cannot charge more than the NDIS pricing arrangements and price limits.

Unregistered providers are not registered with or regulated by the NDIS Commission, and they can choose to charge above or below the price limits. Both registered and unregistered providers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct.

When you must use a registered provider

This part catches a lot of people out. The NDIS says you must use registered providers for:

• check_circleNDIA-managed supports (sometimes called agency-managed)
• check_circlePlan management: plan managers must be registered providers
• check_circleRegulated services like behaviour support and specialist disability accommodation (SDA)
• check_circleSupported Independent Living (SIL)

For other supports, you can choose either registered or unregistered providers if your funding is self-managed or you use a registered plan manager. So if you are looking at SIL in Lake Macquarie, or your plan is NDIA-managed, the provider has to be registered. Our guide on how to choose an NDIS provider in Newcastle goes deeper on comparing providers.

How to find a provider in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie

1. 1

   Do some research

   The NDIS says your my NDIS contact, Support Coordinator or recovery coach can help you find providers. You can also ask people you trust for recommendations, read about providers and their services, and check reviews.

2. 2

   Find the right provider for your needs

   Check whether your support needs a registered provider (see above). Then use the NDIS provider finder, or search for the support and your area, such as "assistance with daily life Newcastle" or "SIL Lake Macquarie".

3. 3

   Meet them first

   The NDIS recommends meeting new providers before you start. Ask how workers are matched to you, what happens if a worker is sick, and how you give feedback. A good provider will also tell you plainly what they do not do.

4. 4

   Agree a service agreement

   You must have a service agreement for some supports, such as SIL and SDA, and the NDIS recommends one for everything else. It should cover the supports, the cost of each one, how the provider is paid and how to change the agreement.

5. 5

   Start, and review as you go

   You can buy NDIS supports from providers in line with the funding in your plan, and you can choose whether to share your plan with them. If it is not working, you can change providers at any time.

What Your Way Living does as a provider

Your Way Living is a registered NDIS provider (registration 4-L3BFU41) based in Lake Macquarie. We deliver support in three places: in people's own homes, out in the community, and in our shared homes in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. That includes assistance with daily life, personal care, community participation, transport, everyday skills, psychosocial and mental health support, short term respite, and Supported Independent Living (SIL) and Individualised Living Options (ILO).

We work with plans that are NDIA-managed, plan-managed or self-managed, across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, the Hunter and the Central Coast. We also say plainly what we do not do, so you are not sent down the wrong path. You can see the full list on our services page and our Newcastle page.