Why I am apprehensive about the NDIS? Part 5

It’s been some time since I wrote a blog let alone one in this ongoing series. I was compelled to get back into action because I just had my first NDIS planning meeting. Turns out I may have been too lenient when I decided to use apprehensive in the title. The NDIS staff were nice enough but the experience left me dejected far more than I could have imagined.

From my understanding the NDIS has been promoted as being a more efficient service with better outcomes. Motivating words as it looked like people with disability would actually get choice and control. This sounds absolutely wonderful and the parochial side in me thinks it’s about time. Having been burned so many times I have remained skeptical since I first heard about the NDIS. I have been forced into taking the approach I’ll believe it when I see it. Even with this mindset I wasn’t ready for what transpired.

Everywhere on the Internet maintains what a big deal the planners and planning meeting is. I didn’t do as much research as I could have falling into the trap of finding it all too boring as usual. I did however receive assistance from St Vincent’s and felt adequately prepared. The advice always seemed to be explain your needs in excruciating detail. And while I went through the thoughts of do I have too I was ready to give it a go once again.

Not long into the meeting I realised explaining my needs would be an ongoing theme. Potentially for the next year or more pending approval of my plan. I haven’t been so disappointed for some time. Planners have little to no power or say in the final outcomes. Those decisions are left to a delegate who you don’t meet. That’s right someone that doesn’t know your situation makes the final decision.

If that’s not bad enough the plan is merely a statement of goals. The pursuit of equipment, attendant care hours, physiotherapy etc still goes through the same amount of scrutiny it always did. I lost count of the times the people from the NDIS said “you’ll need to provide evidence of that” and “that will require an assessment”. As this went on I looked at my long suffering occupational therapist in disbelief. I couldn’t believe that this new model of service delivery for people with disability sounded exactly the same. We are going to be put through these horrible invasive procedures all over again.

Primarily though I haven’t had the best time over the last 12 months. At last I am getting back to what I want to be. Doing podcasts, getting out, living my life the way I choose to. Hearing all this created immediate stress. Now the majority of my time will be spent sorting out the NDIS. Getting quotes, liaising with therapists, etc is incredibly labour intensive. Naïvely I thought the NDIS was here to streamline that process. Yet right at the beginning it seems to be worse or as bad as it always has.

It takes a lot to make me consider giving up, after my planning meeting though I was close. The negative thought of what’s the point coming to the surface. Having said that I shall continue on but I really feel for those that can’t voice their concerns. Maybe you need to have disability or be related to someone that has to fully understand.

These processes are demoralising and ultimately tiring. To complicate it further there is often no reward for the effort put in. If you really want to improve life for people with disability respect this and make the planning meeting more useful. Get everything out of the way early and then leave us alone so we can get back to living life. As ideological as I am I don’t think I’m asking too much.

In the short term I shall play the overrated waiting game, contemplate how I’m keeping my brother on my care team (no that’s not a typing mistake) and gather energy for all these appointments I am forced to endure.

I better get back into writing blogs too. There is certainly enough ammunition out there. It seems so repetitive but when the point isn’t being made what choice do we have.

I find proving my disability incredibly degrading particularly when I have had it my whole life. From the outside world though while it’s frustrating it makes sense. When it comes from the disability sector that’s hard to take. Always is, always will be.

So to see the NDIS already failing at this by not recognising it in the first place certainly raises concerns, which is a shame.

Yet we have to remain optimistic. People with disability are here to stay and believe it or not we have dreams and aspirations.

I'd just like the opportunity to be able to explore mine. I live in hope.