Moving on with the ndis

After several months of trying to work with a service provider as of Saturday morning I will be at the helm of directing my own supports. These means in addition to self-managing I am also directly engaging my own support workers. 

My team current consists of a team leader who assist with admin and rostering.  My in-home support worker and my studio support person.  We (me and my team leader) will be recruiting a forth team member in the meantime I am setting up an account with hire-up. 

In addition to preparing to deliver artwork for juding in the Brisbane Rotary Clubs Art Show on Saturday, my team leader has been assisting me with a back log of personal and ndis paperwork, a long and painful process.  I guess up next will be tax time, but together me and my team leader have sorted through all my receipts and photocopied them.

Having each of my team responsible for one area has resulted in a streamline service delivery and together in the mist of kaios, missing quotes and invoices, lack of support from my provider we have manage to tidy and organize years of clutter out going staff have said, 'its nice of them to do that for you.'  umm! I paid for them to organise and tidy my home.  This was obvious not  cleaning was not part of  what support wokers consider astheir role. 

So clearly its time to move on and start a new chapter in my life and I am excited by the opportunities that creates. Initially I worried about the lack of security and back-up that comes with self-directing.  Support providers would have you believe it to risky to go it alone.  These same providers have failed to deliver the support outlined in agreements.

Services are use to being in control and not being answerable when this go pair shaped. Sure the ndis is not a smooth journey for anyone and I've highlight the flaws in the ndis and navigating the pathways, but it inexcusable for services not to deliver while maintaining participants are not to be trusted to pay for their supports. 

I want to deliver a safe and secure environment for my team and provide security and cover for myself. So I have chosen to access a self-directing support service and a Plan Manager. This model of self-management may not be suitable for your family or their needs. If you are thinking of traveling down this road, I recommend you talk to others who are self-directing and are intending too.

For those who self-manage there are resources and training available.  You LAC should be able to help you locate these. Participants having choice and control in not about them making demands, bur rather participants holding supplies and service accountable.

Participants have the right to complain and advocate for change. It is your right as a consumer to make a complaint if your needs are not meet, services are not being delivered or the service is bullying you to accept status quo.  Making complaints and advocating for our rights as people with disabilities and their careers is the only way to improve service delivery.  If you are struggling with this area of the ndis then find an advocate or use an advocacy service.  Regardless of how your funds are being administrated these are your rights. 

Service delivery through providers is not the only issues for accessing funding under the ndis and more needs to be done to assist participants to understanding how the plans work and how funding can be spent.

My other goal for my current ndis plan was to purchase a chair more suitable for my art practise. This too has been distarious. I am still waiting for my chair to be approved and have a quote for $2500 to be approved to replace the moters in my current chair,  Because I've been responsible I have money left to hire a chair while I wait to see if my new chair is approved. 

We were promised this would not occur under the ndis.  This has been a major disappointment.  I do think the additional wear n tear on my chair due to lack of transport assistance has lead to the demise of the motors.

No matter how prepared or organized we think we are, life doesn't follow a ndis plan. Things go wrong, and injuries and illness occur.  The ndis is only part of the answer for improving the lives of those with disabilities.

It is vital we continue to voice the need for further reform and secure funding going forward.