NDIS complaints do not all go to the same place. A problem with a provider or support worker goes to one body, a decision about your plan goes through another process, and a complaint about how the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) treated you goes somewhere else again. This guide helps you work out where your problem belongs, so it reaches the people who can act on it.
First, work out who the complaint is about
- A provider or worker, for example unsafe care, disrespect, or poor quality supports: the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission).
- An NDIA decision, for example about your access to the NDIS or what your plan funds: a review of the decision.
- How the NDIA dealt with you, for example the way staff handled your matter: NDIA feedback and complaints.
- How a complaint about the NDIA was handled: the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
If someone’s life is at risk, or there is an emergency, call 000 first.
Problems with a provider or worker: the NDIS Commission
Raising it with the provider first, if you feel safe
Some concerns can be sorted out quickly by speaking to the provider directly, if you feel comfortable doing so. Your provider must make you feel safe to raise concerns, deal with them quickly and properly, not threaten you for complaining, and help you report the issue to the NDIS Commission when needed.
Reporting to the Commission
You can report to the NDIS Commission if you are worried about the safety or quality of the supports you, or a participant you know, receive. Anyone can report, not only participants. The Commission takes reports through an online form and by phone. If a person with disability could be harmed soon but it is not an emergency, contact the Commission as soon as possible.
The Commission says every report helps it build a picture of risks across the sector, even when it does not lead to direct action. Its page on reporting an issue about a provider or worker lists the current contact options.
The NDIS Code of Conduct, in plain words
The NDIS Code of Conduct is the standard a provider or worker is measured against. It applies to registered and unregistered providers, their key personnel and their workers. Under the Code, people delivering NDIS supports must:
- respect your right to freedom of expression, self-determination and decision-making
- respect your privacy
- provide supports safely and competently, with care and skill
- act with integrity, honesty and transparency
- promptly raise and act on concerns about the quality and safety of supports
- take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to violence, exploitation, neglect and abuse
- take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct
- not charge participants higher prices without a reasonable justification.
If what happened to you breaks one of these, say which one when you report it. The full wording is on the NDIS Commission’s Code of Conduct page.
Problems with an NDIA decision: ask for a review
A decision you disagree with, such as about your access or your plan, is not handled as a complaint. You ask for an internal review of the decision, and the request must be made within 3 months of the decision. The guide on requesting an NDIS internal review covers each step, and if your needs have changed rather than the decision being wrong, a plan reassessment may be the better route.
Problems with how the NDIA treated you
To complain about your experience with the NDIA, the way it works, or how a staff member behaved, use the NDIA’s feedback and complaints process. You can do this online through its feedback form or live chat, by email, by phone, in person at an NDIS office or with your local area coordinator or early childhood partner, or by mail.
After a complaint arrives, the NDIA aims to acknowledge it within 1 day, contact you within 2 days, and resolve it within 21 days. Complex complaints can take longer, and the NDIA says it will tell you if that is the case. Its page on how to give feedback sets out the options.
If you are not satisfied with how a complaint was handled
If you are unhappy with how the NDIA resolved your complaint, you can ask for a supervisor or manager to review it. You can also contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman, which can consider complaints about the NDIA’s actions and decisions, including how it managed a complaint. Try to resolve the issue with the NDIA first.
In an emergency
If someone’s life might be at risk, or a person with disability could be critically harmed or seriously injured, call triple zero (000). Once everyone is safe, you can also report the issue to the NDIS Commission.
Getting support to complain
You do not have to do this alone. A friend, family member or independent advocate can help you report an issue or make a complaint. If English is not your first language, interpreters can be arranged, and there are options for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Choosing a new provider afterwards
Sometimes the right outcome is a fresh start with someone else. Provider24 lists NDIS businesses by support category and state on the Explore page, and support coordinators under Support Coordination if you want help making the change. Provider24 does not vet the businesses it lists, so check registration on the NDIS Commission’s register where it matters, and use the guide on how to choose an NDIS provider before you sign a new agreement.
This article is general information, not advice. Contact details change, so use the official pages linked above for the current ones.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a complaint to the NDIS?
It depends on the problem. Report provider or worker issues to the NDIS Commission. Complain about how the NDIA treated you through the NDIA’s feedback and complaints process. Ask for an internal review if you disagree with an NDIA decision.
Do all complaints need to be reported to the NDIS Commission?
No. The NDIS Commission deals with issues about providers and workers. Decisions about your access or plan go to an NDIA review, and complaints about NDIA service go to the NDIA.
How long does the NDIS have to respond to a complaint?
For complaints about its own service, the NDIA aims to acknowledge a complaint within 1 day, contact you within 2 days and resolve it within 21 days. Complex complaints may take longer.
What does the NDIS Code of Conduct cover?
It sets the conduct expected of everyone delivering NDIS supports, including respect for rights and privacy, safe and competent care, honesty, acting on concerns, preventing abuse and sexual misconduct, and fair pricing.