Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move a motion in relation to the interim report of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, entitled Provision of hearing services under the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which was presented on 14 September 2017.

Leave granted.

I move:

That the House take note of the report.

It is anticipated that approximately 16,000 to 20,000 people with hearing impairment as their primary disability will join the NDIS by 2019-20. This represents a small cohort within the scheme—less than three per cent of NDIS participants. However, the introduction of the NDIS has undoubtedly had a disruptive effect on what is broadly recognised as international best practice in the support provided to the deaf and the hearing-impaired. Some extremely concerning issues have emerged and need to be resolved to ensure deaf and hard-of-hearing people continue to receive world-class services in this country.

In March 2017, the committee delayed finalising its report, pending release by the National Disability Insurance Agency of (a) key operational guidelines or access criteria to the scheme for deaf and hard-of-hearing people, and (b) baseline reference packages to guide plan development for early intervention services. The NDIA indicated to the committee that it would release the guidelines and the packages by the end of April 2017. While the NDIA released guidelines for access criteria on 1 September, the early intervention packages remain outstanding. Without definitive information about the early intervention packages, the committee cannot report and make considered recommendations. This is a cause of great concern for many families, for the hearing sector and, indeed, for this committee. The committee has therefore decided to release an interim report while it awaits the release of the packages.

The interim report focuses on the access criteria to the scheme and the issues pertaining to access and delivery of early intervention services. Until now, there has been a lack of clear access criteria to determine eligibility to NDIS services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. This has caused great uncertainty for future access to services and supports for deaf and hard-of-hearing people, especially for newly-diagnosed infants and children. The committee is relieved that clear guidance to determine access to the scheme has finally been articulated and publicly released by the NDIA. However, the committee is frustrated that it has taken so long. Based on the evidence received to date, the recently released access criteria for early intervention requirements for deaf and hard-of-hearing people aged nought to 25 appear to be technically consistent with the current practices of Australian Hearing and are, therefore, broadly welcomed by stakeholders. With regard to the access criteria for those aged 26 and older, the committee is concerned that the requirements may leave some people not eligible for the scheme, despite their need for reasonable and necessary supports.

The committee is also concerned with the disruptions to early intervention services that have occurred since the introduction of the NDIS. The NDIS is failing to streamline intervention services from referral pathways to access and funding of services for newly-diagnosed participants. Guided pathways to ensure families could engage as early as possible with services that meet their needs have been lost. I will say that again: these guided pathways have been lost. It is a clinical fact that timely early intervention for deaf and hard-of-hearing children produces optimal results, yet evidence of delays to access therapies is mounting. Confusion, absence of guided advice and lack of choice and control over access to services are regularly reported by families and carers. Inadequate and underfunded NDIS plans are commonly awarded to children. As a result, opportunities for children to be taught to communicate as well as any other child with spoken or sign language are being lost. The committee believes it is critical that the NDIA addresses these issues as a matter of urgency. The introduction of guided referral pathways is necessary to ensure that there is no delay between diagnosis and commencement of therapies. Appropriately designed and funded early intervention reference packages must also be implemented.

Accordingly, the committee has made a number of recommendations in relation to the matters discussed in this interim report. The committee intends to release its final report once the NDIA has introduced its early intervention reference packages. In addition to discussing the appropriateness of the packages, the final report will also discuss the other issues raised during the inquiry but not reported in the interim report. The committee will continue to consult with the hearing sector as required, until the committee completes its inquiry.

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