012 Participant’s Supports Management Policy | NDIS Disability Services in Brisbane

1. Purpose

Proactive Support is committed to ensuring that each participant accesses the most appropriate supports that meets their needs, goals, and preferences. We involve our participants, carers and nominees in their assessment, planning and review processes associated with accessing and receiving services. We encourage maximum choice, independence, and autonomy. We inspire confidence from person-centred supports.

2. Scope

This policy covers all aspects of the provision of supports to the participants, including continuity of supports, access, support planning, service agreements, responsive support provision and providing for seamless transition between providers.

3. Definitions

In this policy:

Staff means any person employed by Proactive Support, including managers and workers, regardless of pay, status or working hours

Participant means a client or potential client who is receiving supports or services from Proactive Support

Advocate is a person speaking or acting on the participant’s behalf, including associated family members, carers, nominees, independent advocates, and significant others

Dignity of risk is the idea that self-determination and the right to take reasonable risks are essential for dignity and self-esteem, and so should not be impeded by excessively cautious caregivers, concerned about their duty of care

Withdrawal – the act of removing something

Termination – the act of ending or stopping something permanently

4. Rights and Responsibilities

All Staff

All staff are responsible for:

Ensuring they are aware of participant’s personal information including their needs and preferences which will enable them the highest level of support

Being present and on time when providing support to a participant, or informing management if they are unable to do a shift as soon as possible to enable management to replace them with a suitably qualified and experienced person

Clear communication with the participant, carer or nominee, gaining their feedback about their support provision

Remaining up to date with their training so they can provide person-centred supports better

Management

Managers are additionally responsible for:

Planning for appropriate continuity of supports where possible, in case of emergencies and absences

Facilitating transitions between providers

Ensuring staff provide the highest level of supports

Responding to the individual strengths, needs, goals and aspirations of those who use our service, their families, and their communities

Respecting and valuing the rights and preferences of services users, their age, culture, gender, identity, sexuality, religious beliefs, ability, and communication needs

Promoting engagement in decision making

Encouraging and supporting clients to make informed choices, exercise control and maximise their independence

Adapting supports, where necessary, to the needs and goals of the participant

Key Personnel

Proactive Support’s key personnel are responsible for sharing key information to ensure continuity of supports to participants should they be absent or unable to fulfill their role. A person (or persons) with key business knowledge can then be delegated to carry out Key Personnel responsibilities. To this end, they should:

Be trained in filling in registers, incident reporting procedures and payroll

Know all staff and any current ‘issues’

Have access to participants files and be aware of their support needs

Have a broad working knowledge of all Proactive Support frameworks, policies, and procedures

5. Continuity of Supports

To ensure that each participant has access to timely and appropriate support without interruption, Proactive Support will:

Recruit staff in conjunction with accepting more participants, ensuring the ratio of staff members to participants is manageable for the business

Carry out day-to-day operations in an efficient and effective way through clear communication, well-defined roles, and clear information to staff about their shift requirements

Utilise an experienced and qualified casual pool of workers to cover shifts where permanent staff are absent

Ensure that supports meet the participant’s specific needs and preferences by making every effort to match staff members with the participant and referring to ‘needs’ and preferences’ items in the participant’s Profile and Support Plan

Plan ahead and plan well, to ensure that supports to the participant can occur without interruption for the period of their service agreement, including the provision of critical supports during disaster or emergency, where possible

Communicate clearly with the participant, advocate, carer or nominee where changes or disruptions are unavoidable and work out alternative arrangements with everyone’s consent. These may include utilising different disability support workers, changing days where the participant is supported, and/or ending the service agreement so the participant can source another provider

Ensure that, where services are provided to adults who have an intellectual or cognitive disability and exhibit challenging behaviours, we undertake positive behaviour support planning that is in accordance with the Proactive Support 031 Positive Behaviour Support Plan Policy and Legislative requirement for the use of restrictive practices as set out in the Disability Services Act 2006

6. Access to Supports

6.1 Resources and Tools

Proactive Support aims to ensure that where possible, each participant will be able to access the most appropriate supports that meets their needs, goals, and preferences. To achieve this outcome, the following resources and tools will be utilised, if appropriate:

Participant informationals, detailing the available supports, access and entry criteria and any associated costs

Any relevant NDIS documentation and specialist assessments, support plans etc.

‘Participant Profile and Support Plan’, capturing a snapshot of the participant’s support needs and to assist in clarification of needs, goals and preferences including family and community connections

‘Service Agreement’ which clearly documents (in language and a mode that the participant will understand): the agreed supports, conditions and responsibilities of the participant and Proactive Support, fees and any associated costs and the circumstances which could cause the supports to be withdrawn

‘Risk Assessment’ to assist with informing the participant of the level of risk of proposed supports

6.2 Dignity of Risk

As Proactive Support staff work together with participants and their advocates, carers and nominees to complete these forms, they will explore the options and encourage participants to make their own decisions about what supports they would like to access. Even if there is risk involved, each participant has the right to make a choice, knowing the benefits and risks.

Access to supports required by the participant will not be withdrawn or denied solely based on a dignity of risk choice that has been made by the participant.

Reasonable adjustments to the support delivery environment will be made and monitored to ensure it is fit for purpose and the participant’s health, privacy, dignity, quality of life and independence is supported as per 003 Participant’s Privacy, Dignity and Confidentiality Policy.

7. Support Planning

Proactive Support is committed to ensuring that each participant will be actively involved in the development of their support plans which will accurately reflect their needs, requirements, preferences, strengths, and goals and are regularly reviewed. To achieve this Proactive Support will facilitate:

Work with the participant and their advocates to develop a support plan which is underpinned by an effective assessment to determine needs and required supports, information sourced from a wide variety and range of resources and a risk assessment where strategies to treat known risks are planned, implemented, reviewed, and updated (‘Risk Assessment’ form)

Discussion with the participant to identify the family, friends and chosen community they would like to engage with, and how Proactive Support can support them to make or enhance those connections

Annual review of support plans (or earlier, to cater to changing needs and circumstances)

Appraisal of progress in meeting desired outcomes, and if necessary, work done with the participant to change and update the support plan

Communication of the support plan to all stakeholders, where appropriate, and with the consent of the participant

8. Service Agreement

It is important that each participant has a clear understanding of the supports they have chosen and the way they will be provided. This information will be reflected in the Service Agreement which will be created in collaboration with the participant to produce a document which:

Establishes expectations

Explains the supports to be delivered

Specifies any conditions attached to the delivery of the supports, including why the conditions are attached

Documents the following arrangements for participants in specialist disability accommodation dwellings: how a participant’s concerns about the dwelling will be communicated and addressed, how potential conflicts involving participants will be managed, how changes to participant circumstances and / or support needs will be agreed and communicated, in shared living, how vacancies will be filled, including each participant’s right to have their needs, preferences and situation considered and how behaviours of concern which may put tenancies at risk will be managed, if this is a relevant issue for the participant

The Service Agreement will be signed by the participant (or their advocate) and Proactive Support staff, who will support the participant to understand their service agreement and conditions, using the language, mode of communication and terms they are most likely to understand. Where it has been created in writing the participant will receive a copy, or a record will be made of the circumstances under which the participant did not receive a copy if they chose not to have one.

9. Withdrawal or Termination of Services

9.1 By a Participant

Proactive Support acknowledges that participants have choice and control in the delivery of their supports. In line with this a participant may terminate their Service Agreement at any time with a minimum of 14 days written notice to Proactive Support.

As part of our commitment to quality service delivery and continuous improvement, Proactive Support will endeavour to ascertain the reason for the termination of services by the participant.

9.2 By Proactive Support

The Service Agreement may be cancelled by Proactive Support if:

The Participant fails to comply with the terms of their Service Agreement

The Participant fails to comply with the policies and procedures of Proactive Support

The Participant fails to communicate and provide information pertaining to changes to support needs

Workplace Health and Safety considerations are ignored

Communication has broken down between the Parties and/or

Payment for support and/or expenses has not been received as per the Service Agreement.

Under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Terms of Business for Registered Providers, withdrawal or termination of services must be no less than 14 days. However, Proactive Support will always work in the best interest of the Participant to achieve a safe transition to a new provider of services.

Upon termination of the Service Agreement by either party, Proactive Support will take steps to ensure if required:

The cancellation of service has been reported to the National Disability Insurance Agency

All support that has been provided under the terms of the Service Agreement have been claimed and

The Participant has alternative support solutions in place for their own safety and wellbeing

10. Responsive Support Provision

To ensure that each participant accesses responsive, timely, competent, and appropriate supports to meet their desired outcomes and goals, the following considerations will be taken into account when determining the best supports for the participant:

Supports are based on the least intrusive options, in accordance with contemporary evidence-informed practices

Collaboration with other providers will be encouraged to share information and meet their needs, subject to the participant’s consent and direction, and where directed in the service agreement

Reasonable efforts are made to involve the participant in selecting their workers, including the preferred gender of staff who provide personal care supports

Training of staff to understand the participant’s needs and preferences particularly where they require monitoring and / or daily support

11. Exiting or Transitioning to/ from Proactive Support

Proactive Support aims to make the transition between providers as seamless and unobtrusive as possible for participants. It will be managed in the following way:

The transition will be facilitated in collaboration with the participant when possible

The transition will be documented in the participant’s file, communicated, and effectively managed

The transition process developed below will be reviewed to ensure it meets participant’s needs

11.1 Transition to Proactive Support from another provider

1. Staff will familiarise the participant with Proactive Support, utilising the ‘Welcome Pack’ resource

2. A handover will be solicited from the previous provider if possible and consent is obtained from the participant

3. The participant’s needs and preferences will be determined using the ‘Participant Profile and Support Plan’ form

4. A service agreement will be developed with the participant using the ‘Service Agreement’ form

5. Associated risks will be identified, documented, and responded to utilising the Risk Management Procedure

11.2 Transition from Proactive Support to another provider

1. The participant, carer or nominee is to provide 2 weeks’ notice to end a Service Agreement

2. Proactive Support will ensure the service booking is cancelled on PRODA portals as required

3. Proactive Support will provide comprehensive handover to the participant’s new provider if requested to do so and consent is obtained from the participant using the Participant Supports and Transition Excel document

4. Any identified risks will be included in the handover (including new risks, due to the transition)

11.3 Temporary Transition to /from Proactive Support

Proactive Support aims to make temporary or unplanned transitions for participants as seamless and unobtrusive as possible. Unplanned transitions of support can occur in emergency or escalating situations. This can include people moving between Proactive Support and hospitals. These transitions are critical points where there is a risk of harm to participants. Ensuring safe transitions requires clear communication and coordination between providers, healthcare staff, participants, and their support networks.

Proactive Support will ensure that the communication and coordination between our organisation and the participant's support network about the participant's health needs, potential risks and current health care are not lost during care transitions, including:

going to the hospital from home or supported accommodation

leaving the hospital to return home or to supported accommodation

We will follow the NDIS Code of Conduct and ensure that we:

provide supports and services safely and competently with care and skill

promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that might impact the quality and safety of supports provided.

Identify and manage any risks to participants and review Participant Risk Assessment if required.

As a registered NDIS provider, we also have obligations under the NDIS Practice Standards, as part of our conditions of registration, that relate to the delivery of safe, quality supports and services, and the management of risks associated with the supports we provide to NDIS participants.

Proactive Support will:

Prepare for potential hospital admissions by keeping participants' health-related information and documentation up-to-date and accurate to be readily communicated to hospital staff

Support participants in preparing for hospital admission by coordinating a pre-admission meeting with hospital staff and the participant's support network, if needed

Help participants understand and communicate information about their health.

Help plan transitions out of the hospital as early as possible based on professional medical advice to ensure that any changes in care are considered

Work with hospital staff and the participant’s support network to ensure we can provide any additional support the participant may require after they leave hospital

12. Related Documentation

Proactive Support

003 Participant’s Privacy, Dignity and Confidentiality Policy

018 Risk Management Procedure

031 Positive Behaviour Support Plan Policy

Forms: ‘Participant Profile and Support Plan,’ ‘Service Agreement,’ ‘Risk Assessment’

Participant Supports and Transition Excel Spreadsheet

External

National Disability Insurance Scheme (Quality Indicators) Guidelines 2018

NDIS Code of Conduct

NDIS Practice Standards: NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators 2021

NDIS Practice Alert Transitions of care between disability services and hospitals (November 2020)

Human Rights Act 2019

Disability Services Act 2006

Disability Services Regulation 2017

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