To allow the NDIA to determine whether a person meets the disability or early intervention access requirements to join the NDIS, evidence of disability may need to be provided to the NDIA.
Evidence of disability includes information on what the disability is, how long it will last and its impact on a person’s life.
General practitioners (GPs) and other health professionals have an important role in this process.
GPs may be asked to support a patient’s NDIS access request by:
- completing the supporting evidence section of the Access Request Form
- documenting that the person has or is likely to have a permanent disability, and
- providing copies of reports or assessments relevant to the diagnosis/condition that outline the extent of the functional impact of the disability.
GPs may need to provide evidence about the disability that has the greatest impact on the patient’s life, as well as any other disabilities that affect them.
It is important to summarise the effect of disability on the person’s day to day function without support.
The more comprehensive information that is provided, the less likely the person’s access request will be delayed due to further requests for information.
It is important to include information regarding treatments completed or planned, permanency of the impairment and the impacts the impairment has on the person’s functional capacity.
The NDIA requires information about an individual’s mobility, communication, social interaction, learning and self-care or their ability to self-manage.
GPs can summarise or attach existing medical reports to help describe the diagnosis/condition and the impact of the disability on the patient’s function.
If a patient has a current service provider or disability support provider, GPs can ask the patient whether these providers are better placed to provide information to support their access request.
For more information about the NDIS please visit ndis.gov.au