Better measurement of outcomes and performance would help participants make informed choices, keep providers and government accountable, and make sure the scheme is sustainable. It would also help the NDIS improve over time.
What you told us is not working
From what you told us we understand:
- The performance of providers and services is not measured or rated.
- Participants don’t have enough information to make informed choices about whether a service will meet their needs or deliver a good outcome.
- Providers aren’t incentivised to support participants achieve good outcomes and are not rewarded for providing good or great services, or pulled up when they are not performing as they should.
- High quality supports and outcomes are not the same for all participants. For some it is getting a job, while for others it’s improved community participation and quality of life.
- While the NDIA has some outcome measures, understanding where the NDIS is working well and where it needs improvement is still very difficult to see. Better measurement of performance of the scheme would help ensure it improves over time.
- More effort on measuring individual and NDIS level outcomes would help everyone understand the impact of the scheme on individuals, the community and the economy. It would help governments understand the impact and return on the funding they are investing.
The scheme does not have a mechanism to assess the extent to which participants achieve their individual goals, or the impact of funded supports on goal achievement and outcomes, to inform future planning decisions. There is limited understanding of what types of supports lead to good outcomes, and thus the outcome data in current form may be of limited use to actuaries in informing future estimates of scheme expenditure. Outcomes data is of variable quality and reliability… associated with the experience and expertise of the planner in administering such surveys, the time available to complete… and the extent to which the participant understands the questions.
What we want to know now
How should outcomes and performance be measured and shared?
Prompts to help you answer this question:
- How should you, your providers and the NDIA keep track of how your supports help you achieve goals or outcomes?
- How should governments and agencies be monitored to make sure they do what they say they will to support you? Who should perform this monitoring role?
- How should we measure the impact and benefits of the NDIS for the broader Australian community and the economy? How should this information be shared?
- How can we build a system where the NDIS keeps improving based on evidence?