Allied health peaks call for immediate halt and review of NDIS price cuts

“The decision to cut price limits and travel expenses for physiotherapists and other allied health professionals under the guise of cost cutting is not only shortsighted, it’s neglectful. These changes will not save money. They will shift costs downstream and increase the cost of care to Australia’s broader healthcare system, as the functional mobility of NDIS participants deteriorates from diminished access to the vital care they need.”

“The sad reality is that the NDIS’s “cost cutting” and the resulting exodus of highly skilled clinicians will put the lives and well-being of vulnerable Australians at risk—and that’s not hyperbole. Physiotherapy builds functional capacity, keeping people mobile and building physical strength and capability. This essential care plays a critical role in reducing avoidable hospital admissions and, in some cases, preventing serious and potentially fatal incidents, such as falls.”

“This decision will severely impact access to life-sustaining dietetic and nutrition support for people with disability, especially those living out of our major cities.”

“Without this vital dietetic nutrition support available in their community, people with disability may be at risk of complications including swallowing difficulties, choking, malnutrition and dehydration.”

“These changes are forcing podiatrists who are in short supply to consider leaving the scheme or declining referrals for people with complex disabilities.”

“For people with foot and lower leg conditions caused by their disability, reduced access to podiatrists could lead to a loss of independence and in the most severe cases amputation.”

“These shortsighted cost cutting measures are only going to further damage the scheme. OTs are highly qualified and evidence based professionals who can support the sustainability of the NDIA. Instead of investing into OTs, the NDIA is alienating the profession. Pushing OTs out of the system is going to cost the government more in the long run.”

“The NDIA barely consulted with OTs, participants or any allied health bodies. They barely consulted with anyone. They ignored data showing 1 in 5 providers may close. This isn’t oversight – it’s neglect.”

“Speech pathologists support people to communicate, eat safely and live independently."

“Cuts to travel rates and years of frozen pricing threaten access to care, especially in regional communities."

“Speech pathology changes lives, but only if people can access it. Without fair pricing, too many Australians will miss out on the support they deserve.”

APS President Dr Sara Quinn said the APS is gravely concerned that the Scheme continues to prevent participants accessing vital psychology services that directly support their functioning, participation and wellbeing.

“As the NDIS enters a critical phase of reform, we urge the Government and NDIA to partner with providers and professions to uphold the original intent of the Scheme. Psychologists play a vital role in delivering assessment, therapeutic support, behaviour support, and early intervention across the lifespan. Too often, they are excluded from key planning processes. That’s simply not good enough. The NDIS was established to support Australians with permanent and significant disabilities to live meaningful lives with inclusion, autonomy, and dignity."

“Achieving that vision requires pricing limits and arrangements that prioritise need, professional integrity, and participant choice as intended by the scheme - not administrative convenience, and certainly not administrative obscurity.”

"Accredited Exercise Physiologists play a vital role in helping Australians, particularly NDIS participants, achieve independence, improve physical function and manage chronic conditions."

"We’re concerned that travel funding cuts will further disadvantage home-based services as well as those in rural and remote communities, where access to allied health is already limited.”

“If travel support isn't urgently protected, many Australians will be cut off from life-changing care."

“Halving the price limit for provider travel time under the NDIS adds further access barriers for people with disabilities, particularly in outer metro, regional, and rural areas. It’s a decision that reduces participant choice and control, adds burdens on family and carers, and risks leaving communities with less support."

"We’re calling on the NDIS to consult more, live up to the principles of the scheme and introduce a dedicated line item for osteopathy - recognising participant choice or control to utilise a university-qualified allied health profession and ensuring equitable access to care.”

“The proposed NDIS price cuts, especially to travel funding, jeopardise essential home-based therapies for children like Willow, who cannot access services in traditional settings. These cuts could mean the difference between receiving critical care and going without.”

“The NDIS was designed to provide equitable support for all Australians with disabilities, but these pricing changes threaten to widen the gap, particularly for children who rely on in-home services to thrive."

I am concerned about Joseph ending up in hospital again with his pressure corns developing into wounds and becoming infected. He requires a podiatrist to use a scalpel to remove his corns on a regular basis and assist him with nail cutting as he has no family or friends who can assist him and one of his goals is to be independent.

His planner says to use his 5 Medicare appointments, but he requires these for non-disability related care, so currently he has no podiatry at all.

These appointments, if given, only allow for podiatry once every 2.5 months, which is grossly inadequate for his needs.

He lives on a pension and cannot self-fund privately to a podiatrist. I have already provided his report and referral to a bootmaker at no charge as I knew how important it was for him to get these supports. His support coordinator assisted him to appeal this decision, but this was also not successful.

In May of this year, we were compelled, from a sustainability perspective, to terminate the employment of 17 of our casual staff. Nearly half of the locally employed WHR Allied Health team had to be informed, through no fault of their own, that they no longer had jobs in our organisation. These therapy assistants were enrolled at Deakin or Charles Sturt University, where they complete their Occupational Therapy tertiary studies.

Since 2015, WHR has employed 122 students in this capacity, providing them with clinical exposure, supervision, and upskilling opportunities that have greatly benefited the local allied health workforce. Over the past three years, we have continued to offer this service despite it operating at a financial loss and personal cost to us, desperately hoping that the NDIS review considers the actual costs of providing this service. Rising expenses and stagnant fee structures have made it unfeasible to proceed. The decision to terminate this model of service provision and the opportunities it offered for us to support future professional growth has been heartbreaking, not only for those directly affected but also for our wider team, clients, and the families depending on us. This model has enabled us to increase service frequency, deliver cost-effective support to clients and the NDIS, and achieve outstanding clinical outcomes.

As a mobile occupational therapist in a rural region, I would love to provide clinic based services at times - but all my clients have severe cognitive impairments - generalising and skill building from the clinic to home is very difficult.

I’m inundated with referrals at present. One young fellow with extreme complexities in his needs and cognitive impairments lives one hour from me. I know there is no one in his region that can assist him with his level of complexity. There is no way I can provide travel to-from his home without adequate funding I think he just misses out.