The transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Quality and Safeguards Commission has been delayed until 1 December.
The Department of Communities said providers had signalled that deferring the transition of quality and safeguarding arrangements would allow them to focus on critical support issues for people with disability during the COVID-19 recovery period.
The Department said that with the State expecting to sustain its COVID-19 response over the coming months, service providers had expressed significant concerns about the challenges of supporting vulnerable people through the pandemic while also implementing business changes to comply with the Commission’s additional reporting requirements.
“In the interim, the complaints investigation and resolution area of the Health and Disability Services Complaints Office will be allocated more resources and the existing quality and safeguarding functions performed by the Department of Communities will continue,” the statement said.
“The Government has also allocated $2 million via the Sector Transition Fund to help prepare the disability sector to meet the requirements of the NDIS Commission.”
Current quality and safeguarding arrangements for the Continuity of Support Program for people aged 65 and over will also be maintained by the Department.
Minister for Disability Services, Stephen Dawson said the Government understood the challenges facing the disability sector in responding to the evolving situation of COVID-19.
“”It is vitally important for people with disability in Western Australia that the sector remains strong and viable, now and into the post-pandemic future,” Mr Dawson said.
