National Disability Insurance Scheme planning

Preparing for a planning meeting with the NDIA or Local Area Coordinator (LAC) is important to get the best from your NDIS funding. If you and your carers are happy with your current arrangements, you don’t need to change, but it is an opportunity to review your current services. You may be able to get help from your current service provider to help with your NDIS funded plan and goal setting. There are some helpful resources available, such as the My Learning Matters website.

You need to think about considerations such as:

• your aspirations
• your goals
• your strengths and abilities.

You also need to consider:

• the type of supports you need
• what and how much funding you receive now
• steps that will help you achieve your goals
• current providers you can speak to about your current services.

Your plan can be managed by:

• yourself (with or without family/friend/carer support)
• a registered plan management provider
• the NDIA, or
• a combination of the above.

If your continence issues are due to your disability, all your continence products and aids should be supplied through your NDIS plan. These products and aids must be included in your plan.

Ask yourself:

• Which products do I use now?
• Are the products that I am currently using managing my incontinence effectively?
• Should I have a continence assessment to make sure I am managing my incontinence effectively?
• Should I have a continence review to determine if my needs have changed since my last assessment?
• Is my incontinence preventing me from achieving my goals? If so, what can be done to improve the situation?
• Can my incontinence be better managed?

You may not be able to answer all these questions. You can get help from a continence health professional or call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66 for information about local continence clinics and suitable products / aids.

If you are eligible for an NDIS funded plan for continence products and you are currently receiving the Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS) for your continence products and aids, your CAPS payments will stop when your plan has been finalised and approved. If your continence issues are not due to your disability, you should still be eligible for CAPS.

Your continence products will be sent to you at intervals of your choosing. Think about the storage of continence products and make sure delivery charges are included in your plan.