NDIS Practice Standards: the modules every registered provider is audited against

What the Standards are

The NDIS Practice Standards are the quality and safety standards that registered NDIS providers must meet. These standards outline expectations for the delivery of NDIS supports and services.

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission administers the Practice Standards. This body is responsible for overseeing the implementation and compliance with these standards across the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

The Standards are structured to ensure relevance and focus. They are organised into a Core Module, which applies to all registered providers, and supplementary modules designed for service categories identified as higher risk.

The Core Module

The Core Module forms a central element of the NDIS Practice Standards assessment. It is structured around four distinct parts, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of a registered provider’s operations. These parts are: Rights and Responsibilities; Provider Governance and Operational Management; Provision of Supports; and Provision of Supports Environment.

This module assesses how providers demonstrate adherence to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission’s expectations. The assessment focuses on achieving specific outcomes, including ensuring participants experience respect, dignity and choice; effective risk management; robust incident management; appropriate complaints management; sound human resource management; and continuity of supports.

The Core Module’s scope extends to evaluating the safety and accessibility of environments in which supports are delivered. Providers are expected to demonstrate how they meet these requirements to maintain NDIS registration.

Supplementary modules

Registered NDIS providers are audited against specific modules as part of their compliance assessment. Alongside the core modules, supplementary modules exist to address the unique risks and complexities associated with certain service types. These modules ensure providers delivering specialised supports meet specific requirements.

The supplementary modules currently include those focused on High Intensity Daily Personal Activities, Specialist Behaviour Support, Specialist Disability Accommodation, and Early Childhood Supports. Providers delivering these services are required to be familiar with and demonstrate compliance against the relevant supplementary module.

Providers should confirm which supplementary modules apply to their registration groups. Additional supplementary modules are available for other higher-risk service categories.

Verification vs Certification audits

Registered NDIS providers are subject to audits to ensure ongoing compliance with the NDIS Practice Standards. These audits fall into two categories: verification and certification. The type of audit a provider receives depends on the risk level associated with their service categories. Providers can use the compliance calendar tool to track audit requirements.

Verification audits are a lighter form of assessment, typically conducted as a desk audit. These audits involve a review of a provider’s policies, procedures, and records. Certification audits, conversely, are more in-depth assessments undertaken for higher-risk service categories. These audits include site visits, interviews with participants and staff, and observation of supports being delivered.

All audits are carried out by quality auditors approved by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Providers will undergo an initial audit upon registration, a mid-term audit during their registration period, and a recertification audit when their registration is due for renewal.