Advocacy Models of Care

Advocacy Models of Care

NDIS - National Disability Insurance Scheme

NDIS - National Disability Insurance Scheme

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a welfare support scheme of the Australian Government that funds costs associated with disability. The scheme was legislated in 2013 and went into full operation in 2020. The scheme is administered by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

  • The NDIS scheme looks at the goals and aspirations of the person with a disability
  • Podiatry is one of the many service areas available for participants
  • Any services provided by a podiatrist must be directly related to the participants' disability and impact on their function

The role of allied health providers in the NDIS

Allied health covers several different professions delivering therapeutic support to NDIS participants. Allied health providers are one of the largest groups of registered NDIS providers.

Allied health providers are responsible for providing evidence, assessments, and reports that inform access and planning decisions made by NDIA delegates (planners) under the NDIS Act.

For example, allied health providers:

  • refer people to information about who can access the NDIS.
  • provide supporting evidence as part of Access-Request requirements, including evidence that the person has or is likely to have a permanent disability.
  • provide copies of reports or assessments that describe the extent of the functional impact of the disability.

These resources cover:

  • Finding assistance in understanding the NDIS
  • Item numbers podiatrists use when treating NDIS managed participants
  • Access to templates (ie. service agreement)

Related APodA member only resources (requires login to access)

Medicare - MBS

Strengthening Medicare Taskforce (SMT) - Media Engagement (30/01/2023)

SMT Media:

  • Minister for Health and Aged Care - Melbourne press conference - 23 January 2023

    Read the transcript of Minister Butler's press conference on Medicare; bulk-billing; Strengthening Medicare Taskforce; Better Access; and mental health - HERE
DVA - Department of Veteran Affairs


DVA - Allied Health Treatment cycle information about the cycle:

Aged Care

Department of Health and Aged Care - How allied health is supported under AN-ACC (08/12/2022)

To access a government document highlighting how allied health care is supported under AN-ACC click HERE

Reforming in-home aged care

The Australian Government is returning to the time frame of 1 July 2024, put forward by the Royal Commission, to deliver a reformed and improved in-home aged care program. This extends the date from July 2023.

For the first part of 2023, the government will be running targeted sessions with a range of stakeholders to inform final advice to government:

The full engagement calendar includes all proposed engagement activities.

The discussion paper – A new program for in-home aged care and associated documents, including a summary of the paper available

AN-ACC Residential care funding model (30/01/23)

The AN-ACC funding model is an efficient, transparent and sustainable funding model for residential aged care.

It provides more equitable funding to residential aged care providers that better matches residents’ needs and the costs of delivering care, particularly in:

  • rural and remote locations
  • Indigenous and homeless specialist services.

Learn more about AN-ACC HERE

AN-ACC & Allied Health (30/01/23) - AN-ACC includes funding for aged care providers to provide allied health services to residents.

Providers must make a range of allied health services available to residents under Schedule 1 of the Quality of Care Principles 2014. This includes access to allied health services as part of an individual therapy program aimed at maintaining or restoring a resident’s ability to perform daily tasks.

As a provider, you are responsible for:

  • deciding how best to meet the care needs of your residents in line with the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Quality Standards
  • ensuring allied health treatments are deemed most beneficial to the resident and are consistent with their individualised care plan.

The AN-ACC funding model does not link specific allied health treatments to funding.

Care Minutes (30/01/23)

Care minutes refers to the time that older Australians who live in government-funded residential aged care services, receive care from:

  • registered nurses
  • enrolled nurses
  • personal care workers.

The government is introducing mandatory care minutes in response to the 2021 final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Currently, care minutes do not include the time of:

  • allied health staff

To learn more about care minutes and how they apply, follow this link HERE