Step 6 – TIPS: For choosing a Service Provider

Some things to keep in mind when choosing a service provider:

Ask yourself “How would I like to be supported to reach my goals?”

Say things like “I will need help every morning with getting dressed and preparing my meals” or “I need someone to accompany me to shop for groceries each week.”

Ask things like “How can you help me create the kind of life I want?” or “How will you help me in ways other than just companionship”?

Online

If you have online access you might like to look at:

  • Websites related to your needs, hopes and dreams
  • Facebook pages and other social media; reading the forums and comments of other people often helps narrow down the best choice for you.

Ask people you trust

  • Your GP or other healthcare professional
  • Family members that use similar services 
  • Friends in your social settings, such as playgroups, book clubs and exercise groups.

Ask yourself “Do they really meet my needs?” NDIS participants that helped create this website have told us that how they felt about an organisation or worker was often a good guide.  If they felt comfortable with a worker or organisation that was good, and if they felt unsure or uneasy that was not good.

Remember that you are buying their services with your NDIS funds and you can shop around to find a service that suits you.

  • How did they speak to me and people around me when I met them?
  • Do they listen to and understand me?
  • How did they make me feel?
  • Do they understand my dreams and goals and have ideas for how I can reach them?
  • Did they try to put me off my goals?
  • What sort of information did they provide?
  • Did they seem genuine and interested in my needs?
  • Did they provide me with useful information relevant to my situation?
  • Did they answer all my questions?
  • Is it clear what they offer and how I can access it?

About the services they provide

  • How will my strengths and challenges be considered?
  • What research is your approach based on?

 

About flexibility

  • How flexible do I need to be?
  • How flexible are you going to be ?
  • How many different people will work with me?
  • Will your staff be consistent?
  • How many points of contact will there be?  Who are my key contacts if I need to make changes?
  • Can you provide references from people using your services?

 

About their services

  • How do your services meet my requirements?
  • How will you be creative for meeting my needs?
  • Do you have mental health peer workers?

 

Customer satisfaction

  • How do service users shape your services?  For example, do you have consumer and carer representatives on your Board?
  • How do you get feedback about your services?
  • How do you evaluate your services?

To help support your application to the NDIS download the Reimagine Your Life Workbook

As you explore the 6 steps to accessing the NDIS, you will be guided to activities in the Reimagine Your Life Workbook, where you can complete questions and activities to support your application.

Co-designed with people living with mental health conditions and their support networks.
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  • Funded by the

Accessing the ndis in 6 Steps.