Our Reference: FOI 21/22-0053
Response to FOI 21/22-0053 – Information related to number of participants accessing
Disability Related Health Supports (DRHS)
Scope
Please provide data of the increase of average plan value since Sept 2019, due
to the addition of health related supports that were previously covered by
Health, as per below operational guidelines.
Please provide the numbers of plans that have items from the below
Operational Guidelines in their plan.
https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/operational-guidelines/disability-related-
health-supports-operational-guideline/disability-related-health-supports-
operational-guideline-breakdown-disability-related-health-supports
Response
Additional DRHS items added to NDIS support catalogue at 1 October 2019
In October 2019 the NDIS increased the number of support items available for DRHS items.
https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/supports-funded-ndis/disability-related-health-
supports
Clarification of responsibilities for some health supports
Some DRHS items were already available to participants prior to October 2019, but the DRC
decision clarified some responsibilities. Examples of items that were already included in
support catalogues prior to 1 October 2019 included continence and feeding (HEN)
consumables, nurse for continence, orthotics for foot care, pressure care assistive
technology, dietician and exercise.
Training of disability support workers and carers
Some of the supports listed in all DRHS category groupings relate to the time/cost of training
disability support workers and other carers in relation to medical/health needs. The DRC
decision confirmed that the NDIS was responsible for the time taken to train support workers
and other carers in relation to various ‘medical care plans’ prepared by the participant’s
medical professionals. In most cases, this such training was already being performed and
included in the tasks and services that disability support workers provided to participants.
The new support item codes available from 1 October 2019 do not have a specific code for
each of the specific eight categories. For example where the Operational Guidance notes
funding for: “
Training of an NDIS-funded suitably qualified and competent worker to provide
assistance to manage their …..[medical condition]
… where needed.” There was already a
Core support item code for [Training for Carers/Parents] and this can continue to be utilised
for such training.
There are also two other support items in Core and Capacity Building where it is possible
that participants claim against (i.e. if it is itemised separately in invoicing from the
participants’ care providers): The code is: [Assessment, Recommendation, Therapy and/or
Training (including AT) – Other Therapy]. However, these two support codes (one under
Core and one under Capacity Building) may also be used by participants for non-DRHS
services, and therefore the activity under these support item codes is not solely in respect of
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Our Reference: FOI 21/22-0053
DHRS and has not been included in this reporting. Therefore, training supports are likely to
be underestimated.
DHRS items included in this reporting
A summary list of the support items that relate to the DRHS categories is given in
Attachment A. Some supports appear to be duplicates but they are separate codes under
Core and Capacity Building to allow participants flexibility in terms of the use of their
budgets.
Stated Items
Not all plans include specific Stated Items even if the planning process considered specific
items during the planning process and finalisation of plans. Whether to include the DRHS
item as a Stated Item is part of the discussion between each participant and their planner.
Having the items as a Stated Item restricts the use of funding in that support category. For
example, eligible participants will have a Core Consumable budget and this budget is not
restricted in its use across the DRHS consumable supports and non-DRHS consumables, as
noted in Attachment A.
Changes to Plan Budgets
Changes and increases to total and category budgets from plan to plan is dependent on
many factors, not only in respect of changes to DRHS needs. Therefore, it is not appropriate
to compare the increase in budgets from plan to plan as solely being related to DRHS, even
if DRHS items formed part of the planning discussions and plans includes some DHRS as
Stated Items. This is particularly the case for Assistive Technology where items are one-off
and would not appear in subsequent budgets once purchased.
Number of Participants with a DRHS as a Stated Item at 30 June 2021
The number of participants who had at least one DRHS item as a stated item in their active
plan:
Number of Participants with a DRHS Stated Item at 30 June 2021
Number of Participants
Number of Participants
with at least one (1)
who have a
DRHS Category
Stated Item in their
Consumable Budget ^
Active Plan at 30 June 2021
at 30 June 2021
DRHS - Nurse
869
DRHS - Consumables (Continence)
199
345,170
DRHS - Consumables (Health)
15
DRHS - Consumables (Feeding)
657
DRHS - AT - Epilepsy
23
DRHS - AT - Foot care
5,157
DRHS - AT - Pressure care
6,281
DRHS - AT - Respiratory
444
DRHS - AT - Thermoregulation
0
DRHS - Dietician
143
DRHS - Exercise
103
DRHS - Training Carers/Parents
186
* Numbers are not cumulative as participants can have stated items in more than DRHS category.
^ Consumable Budget can be used for non-DRHS items such as hearing aid batteries, spokes for wheelchairs, etc
Participants can purchase DRHS supports with their Core and Capacity Building budgets
without requiring it to be a Stated Item (except for some Assistive Technology items).
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Our Reference: FOI 21/22-0053
345,170 out of 466,619 (almost 75%) active participants at 30 June 2021 have a
Consumable Budget.
Number of Participants who utilised funds for DRHS items between 1 October 2019
and 30 June 2021
As can be seen from the following table, the number of participants who choose to spend on
DRHS items is materially greater than the number of participants with a specific Stated Item
in their Plan.
Number of Participants utilising their funding for DRHS supports in period
Number of Participants
Number of Participants
Utilising their Funding
Utilising their Funding for
for at least one (1)
for at least one (1)
DRHS Category
DRHS Support in Period
DRHS Support in Period
1 Oct 2019 to 30 Jun 2020
1 Jul 2020 to 30 Jun 2021
DRHS - Nurse
7,803
14,881
DRHS - Consumables (Continence)
54,760
64,686
DRHS - Consumables (Health)
13,375
41,024
DRHS - Consumables (Feeding)
2,787
4,710
DRHS - AT - Epilepsy
272
329
DRHS - AT - Foot care
3,889
5,532
DRHS - AT - Pressure care
4,331
4,802
DRHS - AT - Respiratory
849
2,386
DRHS - AT - Thermoregulation
29
50
DRHS - Dietician
5,502
16,018
DRHS - Exercise
17,426
30,904
DRHS - Training Carers/Parents
2,443
3,527
* Numbers are not cumulative as participants can utilise funding from more than DRHS category.
In addition, during 2020/21, 3,919 participants were provided with supports specifically
related to COVID19.
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Our Reference: FOI 21/22-0053
ATTACHMENT A
The following is a brief summary of the support items available under the various Disability
Related Health Support categories:
Nurses (at various level of nurse qualification)
Delivery Of Health Supports By A Nurse
Daily Activities
Delivery Of Health Supports By A Nurse
CB Daily Activity
Respiratory Supports
Ventilators – Invasive Ventilation For Continuous Use
Assistive Technology
AT Rental – Assistive Products for Respiration Support
Assistive Technology
Powered Ventilator Rental
Assistive Technology
Cough Assist Machine
Assistive Technology
Filters And/or Humidifiers For Ventilators
Assistive Technology
Repairs and Maintenance – Disability-Related Heath
Assistive Technology
Machines
Ventilators – Supplemental Ventilation Support (Including
Assistive Technology
CPAP and BPAP machines and supplemental ventilation
Aspirators
Assistive Technology
Nutrition (including Consumables)
Dietitian Consultation And Diet Plan Development
CB Daily Activity
Dietitian Group Session - Group of 3
CB Daily Activity
Dietitian Consultation And Diet Plan Development
Daily Activities
Dietitian Consultation And Diet Plan Development
CB Health and Wellbeing
Dietitian Group Session - Group of 3
CB Health and Wellbeing
Dietician group session
CB Health and Wellbeing
Home Enteral Nutrition equipment: assessment,
Consumables
recommendation and training
HEN - pumps, bolus, strying, gastrotomy devices
Consumables
HEN - extension sets, given sets
Consumables
Other HEN Equipment Including Additional Cost Of Food
Consumables
When Necessary
HEN - pump accessories
Consumables
HEN - delivery and repairs
Consumables
Assistance with HEN and other special diet costs exceeding
Daily Activities
normal food costs
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Our Reference: FOI 21/22-0053
Continence Consumables
Continence Products
Consumables
All continence (for example catheter, bags, pads, bottles,
Consumables
straps).
Incontinence pads, alarms, urine bags, urinals
Consumables
Single use and washable pads and pants, nappies
Consumables
Continence aids: assessment, recommendation, training
Consumables
Disability Related Health Consumables
Low Cost Disability-Related Health Consumables
Consumables
Delivery – Personal Care, Safety and Disability-Related
Consumables
Health Consumables
High Cost Disability-Related Health Consumables
Consumables
Disability-Related Health Equipment and Consumables – Set
Consumables
Up/Training
Disability-Related Health Equipment and Consumables
Consumables
Delivery
Disability-Related Health Consumables – Funding Only
Consumables
*includes consumables for wound care, feeding (thickeners)
Exercise (Health and Wellbeing)
Exercise Physiology
CB Health and Wellbeing
Exercise Physiology in A Group – Group of 3
CB Daily Activity
Exercise Physiology
CB Daily Activity
Exercise Physiology in A Group – Group of 3
CB Health and Wellbeing
Thermoregulation
Cooling Vest - All Sizes
Assistive Technology
Epilepsy
Monitored Phone Alert System
Assistive Technology
Seizure Mat Location Alert Type Alarm Systems
Assistive Technology
Seizure Mat And Alarm
Assistive Technology
Foot care (mobility)
Orthopaedic shoes, orthosis to assist with foot care
Assistive Technology
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Our Reference: FOI 21/22-0053
Assessment and Training of Disability Support Workers/Carers
Training For Carers/Parents
CB Daily Activity
Pressure Care
Air-Filled Garments And Compression Units for Managing
Assistive Technology
Circulation Problems
Replacement Garments And Compression Sleeves For Cyclic Assistive Technology
Pressure Units
Pressure mattresses
Assistive Technology
Pressure Cushions
Assistive Technology
Seat cushions for pressure care
Assistive Technology
Limb, foot, Seat, Back and Head supports for tissue integrity
Assistive Technology
management
AT for tissue integrity
Assistive Technology
Postural chairs for pressure care
Assistive Technology
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