Changes to NDIS worker screening clearances
Amendments have been made to aged care legislation to recognise National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) worker screening clearances. This will make it easier for aged care providers and workers (both staff and volunteers) who support NDIS participants.
These amendments were introduced from 16 June 2021.
Under the NDIS, aged care workers (both staff and volunteers) in a risk assessed role within an aged care provider that is also a registered NDIS provider must have a valid NDIS worker screening clearance. A police certificate does not meet these requirements.
Transitional arrangements were put in place on 1 December 2020 for residential aged care providers which also provide services and support for NDIS participants.
In some circumstances, aged care workers were required to have both a police certificate and a NDIS worker screening clearance where they work with both NDIS participants and aged care consumers in a residential aged care setting.
These legislative changes will reduce the regulatory burden for aged care providers which are registered NDIS providers by minimising the need to maintain two worker screening arrangements for staff and volunteers, without reducing the protection for consumers.
Visit the Department of Health for more information on the legislative amendments including fact sheets.
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) registration
As of 1 December 2020, approved providers supporting NDIS participants will also be required to be registered as a provider with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
This means approved providers which support NDIS participants will have responsibilities under both the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission regulatory frameworks.
Approved providers have the same responsibilities towards NDIS participants as they do to other consumers receiving aged care services and supports and continue to be subject to aged care regulation under the Aged Care Act 1997.
NDIS Commission assessments
Approved providers which are supporting NDIS participants in residential aged care will be required to meet the requirements of the NDIS Practice Standards in addition to the requirements of the Aged Care Quality Standards. The NDIS Commission is responsible for assessing compliance against the NDIS Practice Standards.
The NDIS Commission has published a suite of resources to support approved providers to understand the assessment processes under the new arrangements. These include factsheets, toolkits and recorded webinars.
Visit the to access these resources and for further information on the NDIS assessment approach.
Commission performance assessments
This regulatory change will not change our performance assessment approach under the Aged Care Quality Standards. We will continue to assess, as usual, the overall quality of care and services provided to all aged care consumers, which includes NDIS participants receiving services and supports in residential aged care services.
Approved providers which are supporting NDIS participants in residential aged care will be required to meet the requirements of the NDIS Practice Standards in addition to the requirements of the Aged Care Quality Standards. The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is responsible for assessing compliance against the NDIS Practice Standards.
Younger people in residential aged care
Aged care providers sometimes deliver services to younger people with a disability. Read more about younger people in residential aged care.