End of 2021 changes to the NDIS Practice Standards

September 7, 2023

In November, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) made a few changes to the Practice Standards and Quality Indicators. We’ve broken them down for you below.


What’s New?


There are now 3 new Practice Standards. These are:


  • Mealtime Management
  • Severe Dysphagia Management
  • Emergency and Disaster Management


4.1 Mealtime Management (under Core Practice Standard 4: Provision of Supports Environment)

Came into effect: 13 December 2021

Service providers who provide mealtime support to participants—that need assistance to manage mealtimes—fall under this standard. 


It aims to ensure that participants receive safe and nutritious meals, which are to be made in a safe and appropriate environment and cater to each individual’s dietary needs, including textures of meals.



Severe Dysphagia Management (under Module 1: High Intensity Daily Personal Activities)

Came into effect: 15 November 2021

While not under the 4 core Practice Standards, Severe Dysphagia Management appears in Schedule 2 – Module 1: High Intensity Daily Personal Activities.


It applies to service providers that are approved to provide support to participants in daily personal activities, with a focus on dysphagia management. 


Dysphagia is the medical term for swallowing difficulties and, therefore, this standard aims to ensure providers are supporting each participant appropriately. This means ensuring the support is specific and relevant to each individual.



2.9 Emergency and Disaster Management (Under Core Practice Standard 2: Provider Governance and Operational Management)

Comes into effect: 24 January 2022

This standard aims to improve the health, safety, and well-being of participants. Service providers are required to prepare for, prevent, manage, and respond to emergency disaster situations.


Under this Quality Indicator, providers must demonstrate holistic planning around emergencies and disasters, which covers how they will minimise risks and ensure continuity of supports to the participants.

Other updates

There are also new and amended Quality Indicators for some of the other Practice Standards. These include:

Core Standard/Modules

Practice Standard

1: Rights and Responsibilities

  • 1.1 Person-centred Supports

2:  Provider Governance and Operational Management 

  • 2.2 Risk Management 
  • 2.7 Human Resource Management
  • 2.8 Continuity of Supports

3: Provision of Supports

  • 3.2 Support Planning  
  • 3.3 Service Agreements with Participants 
  • 3.4 Responsive Support Provision 
  • 3.5 Transitions to or from a provider 

4: Provision of Supports Environment

  • 4.1 Safe Environment 
  • 4.5 Management of Waste

Module 3: Early Childhood Supports

  • The Child

Verification module

  • Human Resource Management 
  • Risk Management


How do these apply to me?


lf you are a new applicant or are re-registering as an NDIS Provider, the above applies to you as these came into effect on 15 November 2021.


If you applied before 15 November 2021 but have not been assessed by an auditor, the new Practice Standards and Quality Indicators apply to you.


Existing and registered providers and mid-term audits

If your mid-term audit is carried out after 15 November 2021, the new Practice Standards and Quality Indicators apply to you. However, this depends on whether the audits will be carried out after the date the new standards come into effect. 


What about transitioned providers?

These new standards do not apply to transitioned providers unless they submit a renewal application.



What we’re doing

etrainu is in the process of updating our Workforce Essentials eLibrary, which provides disability awareness training, to include courses that align with the new practice standards and quality indicators. 

We've released modules on mealtime management and dysphagia to our Workforce Essentials and Complex Care customers. The emergency management module will be released imminently.


Where can you get more information?

To read more about the changes to the NDIS Practice Standards, click here.

For the updated version of the NDIS Practice Standards (at the time of writing), read it here.



Aalia Hussein
Instructional Designer and Writer
Imaginative and inventive, Aalia is etrainu’s resident writer. She has a passion for weaving words together and storytelling. She’s in charge of etrainu’s content, creating engaging and immersive experiences across learning and marketing.
SEE MORE ARTICLES

Latest Articles

etrainu Renews Sponsorship of Surf Life Saving Australia’s Inclusive Beaches Equipment Program

etrainu is excited to announce that we will be renewing our sponsorship of the Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) Inclusive Beaches Equipment Program.

How much does an NDIS Audit Cost?

If you’re a disability services provider looking to register with the NDIS, you may have a lot of questions. What is the process? What are the benefits? How much are the costs?

How to Become an NDIS Provider

Following the results from the 2023 NDIS Review, all disability service providers will now be required to register with the NDIS. So, how do you become an NDIS-registered service provider? We’ve broken it down for you in five simple steps.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter
SUBSCRIBE NOW