After you’ve done your research and found a great NDIS service provider to deliver the required supports and services as outlined in your NDIS plan. Now it’s time you enter into a written agreement with them. This is what is known as an NDIS service agreement.
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How Does an NDIS Service Agreement Work?
Entering into an NDIS service agreement is the way you work towards meeting the short-and long-term goals of your NDIS plan.
It is important that you and your provider agree on what specific services you will receive as part of the NDIS service agreement.
In fact, you might even have a provider working with you to develop a service plan in order to achieve your unique goals and needs as set out in your NDIS plan.
It’s important to keep referring back to your NDIS plan while talking with your NDIS provider before signing an agreement. That’s why it’s always a good idea to bring a copy of it along during the meeting.
Let’s take a look at 5 other important factors to consider before signing on the dotted line.
5 Things To Consider Before Signing an the Agreement
Negotiating a service agreement requires you to be careful about a lot of things: the who, which, when, what and how of the arrangements and limits.
Given below are 5 such things to consider before you sign.
Who Can Make an NDIS Service Agreement?
Most often is made between NIDS participants and their providers. The focus therefore should be on making it clearly understandable and relevant to both the parties.
However, it is possible to nominate a trusted person to enter into the agreement on your behalf.
Persons such as family members or friends may be able to fulfill this responsibility for you.
If you are accessing NDIS support coordination, you can receive assistance with making and reviewing your agreements as well as liaising with service providers. For more information, you can also speak with your Local Area Coordinator.
What Should an NDIS Service Agreement Outline?
Any agreement reached between the parties involved should be:
- simple
- straightforward
- succinct
Indeed, such agreements essentially need to outline what supports will be delivered and when. They should also state how much the provision of the supports will cost.
When you are making an NDIS service agreement, you need to consider things such as:
- The specific types of supports provided
- Costings for the provision of supports
- When, where and how supports will be provided
- The duration for which supports will be provided
- The review date
- How problems or issues are handle
Your NDIS service agreement should detail your and your service provider’s responsibilities.
On the one hand, you may be required to inform your provider if something comes up whereby you cannot make an appointment. On the other hand, your service provider has a commitment to work with you to help you achieve your goals by delivering the agreed-upon supports in the right way.
Constraints like these should also be outlined in the service agreement.
Don’t feel compelled to sign your agreement until you fully understand what you are signing and that you are happy with everything. You may want to have a trusted person help you to review the document. This will help you ensure that everything outlined in it is working towards your best interests.
Is It Necessary To Have an Service Agreement?
Generally speaking, no.
In fact, a written agreement is only required if you are accessing Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) as part of your NDIS plan. Otherwise, the NDIA does not mandate that NDIS participants have a written service agreement with their providers.
That being said, it is always a good idea to have a contract written up between yourself and any service providers. That’s because this will formalise your working relationship with your provider.
Not only that, it also works to clear up any confusion about the type and frequency of the supports being rendered. Also, these agreements help to protect you (and your provider) if something goes wrong. Indeed, all of the stated terms and obligations agreed upon in an NDIS service agreement are legally binding.
That said, it is still possible to begin receiving supports and services without a signed NDIS service agreement.
However, it must be proven that, as a participant, you fully comprehend and are in agreement with the document (for example, through communication via email).
How Do I Store my NDIS Service Agreement?
Whether or not it’s been signed, your NDIS providers should still give you a copy of the agreed-upon service contract.
This should then be stored for record-keeping purposes. Storing either a hard copy or a digital version is fine. You just need to ensure that your NDIS service agreement is easily retrievable when you need to refer to it.
If you have a Plan Manager, it’s a good idea to hand them a copy of your agreement. This will help them track your spending as well as ensure that you’re utilising your NDIS funds to meet your unique goals and needs.
Do I Need a Service Agreement?
Put simply: yes.
While they may not be legally required, it is a very good idea to use an NDIS service agreement because they:
- formalize your working relationship with the service provider
- help your NDIS Plan Manager maximise your use of funds
- are legally binding
Is There an NDIS Service Agreement Template I Can Use?
Yes. Brevity Care Software provides an excellent NDIS service agreement template you can use to ensure that all the required details are included.
One of the best things about this template is its simplicity. Rather than getting too technical, or bogged down with complexities, the template supplied by Brevity can be used to create a straightforward contract that’s fair for both parties.
Need Help With Your NDIS Service Agreement? Let Us Help You
The above factors are just some of the reasons why you should use an NDIS service agreement. If you would like to know more about how a service agreement can help you meet your unique needs and goals, you can check out the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission’s website.
If you feel that it’s a lot tracking all these nuances, feel free to take help from experts such as Brevity Care. Use their template today to start working towards meeting the short- and long-term goals of your NDIS plan.
Originally published Dec 26 2021
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Frequently Asked Questions
It is the way you work towards meeting the short- and long-term goals of your NDIS plan. It is a written agreement between a participant and an NDIS service provider about what supports and services will be delivered in line with the NDIS plan.
Generally speaking, no. In fact, a written agreement is only required if you are accessing Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) as part of your NDIS plan. Otherwise, it is not mandated that NDIS participants have a written service agreement with their providers.
The best way to begin writing a service agreement is to use an excellent template experts such as Brevity Care Software provide on their website. That way, you can ensure all the required details are included.
The NDIS agreement outlines what supports will be delivered and when. It should also state how much the provision of the supports will cost.
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