You or a participant you manage may have a plan review coming up. A plan review is an excellent way to ensure you are getting what you want out of your NDIS plan and to update or flag anything that has changed in the past year.

Here at HCA, we always want what is best for everyone. Making sure our clients are getting the most out of their plans is one of the most important aspects of our job. For this reason, we have made this post to identify what you should expect from a plan review and some helpful tips to prepare.

When to expect a plan review

We will contact you towards the end of your current plan and ask some pre-screening questions which will help you prepare for your review. Your NDIA planner will then schedule your full plan review.

Sometimes a full plan review will not be necessary, and we will not need to ask all the screening questions. This means that your NDIA planner can spend more time checking in with you, seeing how you are going, answering any questions you may have about your support.

If you request a full plan review or circumstances have changed, we will work closely with you to understand the type of information we will need you to provide.

Your plan review meeting can be face-to-face, over the phone, or via video call if available; we will work around what suits you best. Also, you have the option to invite supports along to your check-in, which may be a family member, friend, or Support Coordinator.

A plan review can come about for multiple reasons, which include-

A scheduled NDIS plan review

This will happen as a part of the NDIA’s regular planning process and is a general check in to make sure your plan is still working towards your original goals

Participant changes their statement of goals and aspirations

This can occur at any time during the plan if the participant gives the NDIA a new version of their statement of goals.

Participant requests a review of their plan (Request for an unscheduled plan review)

This can occur at any time during the plan and occurs usually when a participant’s circumstances have changed, or their plan no longer meets their needs.

Participant’s plan reviewed at the initiative of the NDIA (unscheduled plan review)

This can occur when there are, or are expected to be, significant changes to the participant’s circumstances, or where a significant event is expected to occur or has occurred. This can also occur when a participant changes their statement of goals and aspirations or considers information received as part of its feedback and monitoring activities.

Information you will need for your plan review meeting

There are multiple forms of information you will want to bring or mention in your NDIS plan review. These may include assessments or reports from some of your service providers that will show how your supports and services are helping you work towards your goals. You can bring any reports, assessments, or quotes that may be helpful in your plan review.

Before your plan review, consider these key questions-

• What worked well in your current NDIS plan?
• What did not work well?
• Has progress been made towards your goals?
• Which goals you wish to continue pursuing and which you would like to change?
• Would I like my plan to run longer than 12 months?
• This can be an option if your situation is stable, and your funding is working well. This can also work if you want to keep working on the same goals in your next plan.
• Who can help pursue said goals?
• Will you require NDIS support in the future?
• Would you like to change how any of your plan funding is managed?

You can self-manage part of your plan to give higher autonomy and greater flexibility over your supports. This can start by self-managing your low-risk, low-cost Assistive Technology budget and work up from there.

What happens when a participant’s plan is reviewed?

When the NDIA conducts a review of a plan, it will involve the NDIA creating a new plan for the participant, considering the same matters, and using the same approach employed when preparing the existing plan. However, a review will often differ in length and complexity depending on the specific circumstances of a participant, and the circumstances which prompted the review.

On the other hand, reviews can also be brief and routine in nature. So sometimes a phone call from the NDIA may suffice a review.

This will also be a time to evaluate a plan’s effectiveness in assisting the participant to move towards their specific goals and aspirations.

How to best prepare yourself or a client for a NDIS plan review

HCA NDIS and disability want the best for our clients and to make sure they are getting the correct support for their needs.

We are always striving to make sure our support workers and care coordinators are providing what each client needs, and plan reviews can help make sure that their needs are being met.

If you are looking for more information, feel free to contact a member of our team on 1300 422 111 or submit an online enquiry.