The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Disability Reform Council is expected to make its recommendations regarding nursing services support in Queensland under the NDIS soon.
Currently, many Queenslanders with a physical disability cannot access funding for home nursing services due to a lack of clarification about whether funding should be covered by the National Disability Insurance Agency under the NDIS, or by the State Government under Queensland Health.
We’ve previously called for clarity on the issue after member Wendy Adams successfully appealed her NDIS plan and received a funding allowance for home nursing services such as catheter changes and wound care.
We’ve also worked one-on-one with our members to provide advice on having nursing services included in their NDIS plan and will continue to advocate for this essential support to be available at home.
During a Disability Reform Council meeting held in late-2018, the Council noted the urgency of the matter and is expected to announce a long-term position and recommendation within the next two months.
The Queensland Government will then consider the Council’s recommendations before announcing its own long-term position regarding funding responsibilities.
This position is expected to be delivered in the first half of 2019.
Chief Executive Officer Michael Powell said the organisation hoped the issue would be resolved soon.
“Not having funding available for nursing services can lead to potentially life-threatening health complications,” he said.
“For people with a physical disability who require daily nursing services, travelling to a doctor or a hospital each day is impractical and time-consuming, with funded home services being a far more practical solution.
“It’s good to see a solution is being worked on and we hope it can be resolved soon for the benefit of everyone participating in the NDIS.”
For more information about the current state of nursing care funding responsibilities, click here.