Connecting Tasmanian National Disability Insurance Scheme participants with allied health services: challenges and strategies of support coordinators

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges and strategies of support coordinators tasked with connecting National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants with allied health services in Tasmania, a largely rural and island state of Australia. Twenty-five registered support coordinators currently supporting Tasmanian NDIS participants participated in semi-structured interviews, with interview data coded and thematically analysed. Support coordinators unanimously reported difficulties connecting NDIS participants to allied health services, with a lack of registered allied health providers and providers with specialist skills and experience with complex disabilities. Support coordinators reported lengthy waiting lists for NDIS participants and compromised service quality, which in some cases led to a loss of participant functioning and future funding. Building positive relationships with allied health providers and persistence were perceived as critical to facilitate allied health service access, as was leaving no stone unturned and looking beyond the island for allied health services. Support coordinators play a critical role in connecting NDIS participants to available services through aggressively canvassing local allied health providers, as well as harnessing interstate allied health provider capacity through novel means. Broad workforce strategies are needed to recruit and retain allied health professionals to the Tasmanian NDIS registered provider market. Policy development is also needed to ensure quality and effective support coordination for NDIS participants.

Keywords:

• Disability
• occupational therapy
• physiotherapy
• psychology
• rural health workforce
• speech pathology

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all of the support coordinators who participated in this study for their time and thoughts. Gratitude is also extended to HR + Tasmania for both encouraging and supporting the project.

Disclosure statement

In accordance with Taylor & Francis policy and my ethical obligation as a researcher, I (BJ) am reporting that I am a consultant to a company that may be affected by the research reported in the enclosed paper. I have disclosed those interests fully to Taylor & Francis and I have in place an approved plan for managing any potential conflicts arising from that involvement.

Authorship declaration

Both authors were responsible for the project conceptualisation and manuscript preparation. BJ was responsible for data collection and analysis.