The EFQC Enquirer: 10 April 2025

In this edition

Important Information

• Do You Know What Changes You Need to Notify the NDIS Commission About?
• Changes to PRODA Login: What You Need to Know
• NDIS Commission Releases New Implementing Behaviour Support Plans Provider Checklist

Ask the Experts

• Bridging the Gap: How Accessibility Transforms Lives
  By Narelle Wright Gatti, Accessibility Advocate, Disability Accessibility Consultants and Auditors (DASAT).

Important Information

1. Do You Know What Changes You Need to Notify the NDIS Commission About?

As a registered NDIS provider, you have an obligation to notify the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission about certain changes or events that may impact your ability to deliver safe, high-quality services. Keeping the Commission informed helps protect participants and ensures you stay compliant with your conditions of registration.

Failing to notify the Commission of certain changes or events can lead to non-compliance, investigation, or enforcement action.

When Should You Notify the NDIS Commission?
Here are some common examples of changes and events you need to notify the NDIS Commission about:

1. Changes to Your Key Personnel
If there is a change in key personnel — such as your CEO, Board Members, or people with significant decision-making power — you must inform the Commission. This includes:

• New appointments
• Resignations or terminations
• Criminal convictions or findings of professional misconduct related to a key personnel
• Suspension or cancellation of a related professional or sector accreditation

2. Organisational or Legal Changes

• Changing your business name
• Altering your corporate structure, e.g., from a sole trader to a company
• Merging with or acquiring another organisation
• Changing your Australian Business Number (ABN) or Australian Company Number (ACN)

3. Financial Changes

• Entering administration or liquidation
• Experiencing serious financial difficulties that may impact service delivery
• Inability to pay staff or maintain insurance coverage

4. Changes to Services or Operations

• Adding or removing registration groups (e.g. adding Supported Independent Living (SIL), High Intensity Daily Personal Activities)
• Expanding or reducing your geographic service areas
• Closing a site or office where services are delivered
• Significant changes in the number or type of participants you support

5. Incidents or Issues Affecting Capacity

• A natural disaster, cyberattack, or other serious incident affecting your ability to provide supports
• Major staff shortages
• Losing access to a facility essential for service delivery

How to Notify the Commission
You can notify the NDIS Commission via:

Portal: Some notifications can be submitted through the NDIS Commission Portal

Email: registrations@ndiscommission.gov.au

Phone: 1800 035 544

2. Changes to PRODA Login: What You Need to KnowMid-Term Audit Compliance for NDIS Providers

As part of the NDIS Commission’s commitment to strengthening security and reducing fraud, the NDIA is updating how providers access NDIS portals.

Starting mid-2025, the current PRODA (Provider Digital Access) system will be phased out and replaced by the Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM) — a secure identity verification service managed by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

To access NDIS portals in the future, providers will need to:

1. Create a government-managed digital identity called myID
2. Use RAM to log in and manage access for staff and representatives

You can find more information about these changes here.

3.  NDIS Commission Releases New Implementing Behaviour Support Plans Provider Checklist

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has released a valuable new resource for providers — the Implementing Provider Checklist. This checklist is designed to support new and existing providers in understanding and implementing the NDIS Practice Standards effectively for those providers implementing behaviour support plans under Module 2A.

This document promotes best practice around the implementation of behaviour support plans. It outlines requirements for the use of regulated restrictive practices and aims to assist implementing providers with reviewing and improving their practices, and to meet their obligations with legislative requirements. Implementing providers and workers are encouraged to use this tool to assist with compliance and continuous improvement.

The checklist provides a structured, tick-box approach to help implementing providers:

• Understand what each Practice Standard means in practical terms
• Identify and put in place the required policies, procedures, and documentation
• Demonstrate continuous improvement and compliance
• Build confidence in delivering quality, safe, and participant-centred services

You can download the Implementing Provider Checklist directly from the NDIS Commission’s website here.

We encourage all providers to review this resource and integrate it into your quality and compliance systems.

Ask the Experts

Bridging the Gap: How Accessibility Transforms Lives
By Narelle Wright Gatti, Accessibility Advocate, Disability Accessibility Consultants and Auditors (DASAT)

What Digital Accessibility Means to Me
I am a person with a severe vision impairment. I have a deteriorating condition that was only diagnosed 18 years ago. Knowing that my sight was going to deteriorate to a state where I was reliant on digital tools wasn’t scary. What was scary was knowing that the digital tools are there to allow me to access information. However, the information is not structured so that the tools work.
 
Digital accessibility is about making sure everyone, including people with disabilities, can use technology without barriers. It’s more than just convenience. It’s about independence, inclusion, and equal opportunities. It reduces frustration. When digital accessibility is implemented properly, it changes lives in ways most people don’t even realize.
 
Independence Through Accessibility
For me, digital accessibility means independence. When websites, apps, and online services are designed with accessibility in mind, I can do things on my own without relying on others. I can shop online, read the news, book appointments, or connect with friends just like anyone else. Without accessibility, these everyday tasks become difficult or even impossible. I am forced to depend on others when I don’t want to.
 
Emotional and Mental Well-being
Exclusion can be isolating. This applies to all aspects of a person’s life from the schoolyard to digital content. When I can’t access digital content, I feel left out. It’s frustrating to know that a website or app could be usable if only a few small changes were made. When I can access the website or email, I feel valued and included. When digital accessibility is implemented, it gives me control of my life. It gives a confidence boost and helps my mental well-being because I know I am part of the digital world, not just watching from the sidelines.
 
Physical Well-being
Struggling to use technology that is not accessible can take a physical toll, too. If I have to strain my eyes to read tiny text, navigate a website with a mouse when I can’t use one, or listen to content without captions when I’m deaf or hard of hearing, it causes stress and exhaustion. Good digital accessibility removes these unnecessary struggles, making everyday tasks easier and less tiring.
 
How Digital Accessibility Enables Travel
 Travel is one of the biggest challenges for people with disabilities, but digital accessibility makes it much easier. Accessible websites and apps allow me to plan trips, book tickets, and find accommodation without needing assistance. Navigation apps with voice guidance or real-time accessibility information help me move around unfamiliar places with confidence.
 
Some public transport systems provide digital accessibility features, such as real-time bus or train tracking, voice announcements, and apps that offer accessible routes. Airline websites with proper accessibility features mean I can book flights, check in online, and receive updates without frustration.

When hotels and attractions provide detailed accessibility information online, I can decide where to stay and what to do without uncertainty. Travel should be for everyone, and when digital accessibility is considered, it makes exploring the world possible instead of stressful.
 
 Bridges the Gap
 
Digital accessibility bridges the gap between exclusion and participation. It removes obstacles that prevent us from accessing essential services, education, work opportunities, and social connections. It ensures that we have the same rights and freedoms as everyone else. Accessibility is not a bonus, it’s a necessity.
 
Digital accessibility gives me freedom, dignity, and inclusion. When the digital world is accessible, everyone benefits. It’s not just about making life easier for people with disabilities, it’s about making the world a better place for all.
 
If you would like to learn more about how to make your digital content accessible, reach out to Narelle for expert guidance!