What are the high intensity support training skills descriptors?

 The high-intensity support skills descriptors (skills descriptors) are supplementary guidance for NDIS providers and workers supporting participants with high-intensity daily personal activities (HIDPA). They describe the skills and knowledge NDIS providers should ensure their workers have while supporting participants who rely on HIDPAs. These supports present some of the highest risks for participants. Many of these high-intensity support trainings are intensely personal and require workers to communicate and work very closely with the participant to understand when and how to deliver support safely to meet the participants’ preferences and daily routines. 



Which supports do the skills descriptors apply to? 

High-intensity skills descriptors apply to providers required to be audited against the NDIS Practice Standards, Supplementary Module 1: High Intensity Daily Personal Activities (HIDPA), relevant to the intensity supports they provide. 

The skills descriptors further explain the skills and knowledge expected when support is delivered by a competent worker who is not a qualified health or allied health practitioner. NDIS providers registered for these should ensure workers meet the expectations of the relevant skills descriptors. The relationship to the HIDPA practice standards is provided in each skill descriptor. 

Other providers and workers may also use this guidance to ensure best practices when supporting people who require these supports. The support activities described in these skills descriptors are likely to form part of a participant’s integrated support network and not necessarily as a standalone support. These supports can carry significant risks to the person and their workers. NDIS providers and workers must ensure quality and safety in their support. 

Who should use the skills descriptors? 

• Participants, their family, and their support network can use the skills descriptors to understand the quality of support they can expect and as a reference when talking with service providers and selecting workers. 

• Auditors use the skills descriptors to determine if a provider has complied with the NDIS Practice Standard requirements to provide high-intensity support for a quality audit. 

• NDIS providers and workers can use the skills descriptors to understand the expectations they should meet to provide HIDPAs and to help select training courses that will deliver the relevant knowledge and skills expected to provide high-intensity support. 

• Trainers should use the skills descriptors to ensure the training they offer equips workers with the skills and knowledge expected to provide these types of supports. 

NDIS provider obligations:

NDIS Code of Conduct:

All NDIS support providers and workers must comply with the NDIS Code of Conduct when providing high-intensity support training or services to NDIS participants. The NDIS Code of Conduct outlines safe and ethical support and service requirements. It requires NDIS providers and workers who provide support or services to NDIS participants to, among other things: 

  • 1. Act with respect for the individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination, and decision-making by applicable laws and conventions. 
  • 2. Provide support and services safely and competently with care and skill. 
  • 3. Promptly take steps to raise and act on the concerns about matters that may affect the quality and safety of the support and services provided to people with disability. 

NDIS Practice Standards 

Registered NDIS providers are obligated to comply with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (the Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Rules 2018 as part of their conditions of registration. The NDIS Practice Standards state the high-level, participant-focused outcomes registered NDIS providers must achieve and relate to delivering safe, quality support and services and managing risks associated with the supports provided to NDIS participants. Registered providers must also demonstrate compliance with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Quality Indicators) Guidelines 2018. The Quality Indicators list the required NDIS Practice Standard outcomes and guide registered NDIS providers to understand and meet their NDIS Practice Standards obligations by describing the quality indicators they should demonstrate when delivering support and services to NDIS participants. The NDIS Practice Standards that are most relevant to this guidance are the high-intensity daily personal activities (Module 1). 

Quality Audits 

To become a registered NDIS provider and to maintain registration with the NDIS Commission, providers must meet registered provider requirements. One of the requirements is the condition to undergo an audit against the components of the different NDIS Practice Standards that are relevant to the services and supports delivered. Where a provider is providing HIDPA support, an independent Approved Quality Auditor (AQA) can use the skills descriptors, among other things, to assess whether a provider has demonstrated conformity to the NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Questions to Ask Your Specialist Support Coordinator Before Getting Started

Image
A specialist support coordinator plays a vital role in helping participants of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) with complex needs. They connect you with services, manage crises, and ensure your plan works for you. However, not all coordinators offer the same level of support. Asking the right questions before starting can help you make the best choice.   1. What experience do you have with cases like mine?   Your needs are unique, so choosing a coordinator with experience in similar cases is important. Ask if they have worked with people who have the same disability or challenges as you. Their expertise will determine how well they can advocate for you and find suitable services.   2. How will you help me get the most from my NDIS plan?   A good coordinator should help you maximize your funding by:   1. Finding the right service providers   2. Managing your budget efficiently   3. Adjusting your plan as your needs change   Their ...
Read more

Why is Community Home Health Care So Crucial for Your Elderly Family Members?

Image
Could it be time to look for an at-home caregiver for yourself or a dear one? An at-home caregiver can hugely improve your physical, emotional and social health. Community partnerships often emerge as a symbol of excellence in enhancing home health services. These partnerships represent a great synergy between home healthcare agencies and local organizations, creating a network beyond clinical care.    By recognizing community home health care’s role in influencing the wellbeing of its members, this approach highlights the efforts that lead to more comprehensive and individualized home health services. Therefore, community partnerships are very vital! So, where exactly do you start?   The Magnificence of Community Collaboration: Community partnerships are very powerful alliances that strengthen the core of home health and care services. They reach far beyond the clinical boundaries, tapping into the community’s significant strengths to foster a collaborative vibe t...
Read more