NDIS Plan Management Participant Booklet

The delivery of safe, high-quality services relies on effective communication. Where required, interpreters and translators will be made available at no cost to support your interactions with us.

Our Mission

Our mission is to help people with a disability live healthier lives and to be a valued member of the community.

Our Motto

Transforming Lives Today, Tomorrow and Forever

Our Values

Integrity

We will honour commitments and never compromise ethics.

Empowerment

We work in partnership with participants, their families, and carers to ensure they have choice, control, and a voice in determining the supports, services, and community activities in their lives.

Respect

We respect the dignity, diversity, and individuality of all people.

Compassion

We strive to continually be welcoming and serving to all with understanding and without judgement.

Our team will support you to:

• Feel in control of your supports.
• Facilitating payments of invoices on your behalf.
• Processing reimbursement claims to you (where approved to do so).
• Tracking expenditure on provider supports, against your budget.
• Providing monthly statements of your expenditure and remaining available funding (on request). 
• Providing a transparent electronic budget monitoring tool for your use; and
• Maximise supports.
• Feel more connected.
• Increase confidence.

Our team will assist you to navigate the NDIS system by providing information, advice, and support when decisions need to be made.

We will ensure you are supported to understand your National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan and connect you with people and supports that will enable you to live life as you have chosen and reach your potential.

We are committed to you and as part of our service delivery you can expect:

Personalised service

• Communicate openly and honestly in a timely manner.
• Treat you with dignity and respect and support your choice of supports and providers. 
• Consult you on decisions regarding how supports are provided.
• Help you understand your plan and what supports funding can be used for establishing connection between you and providers.
• Set up plan budgets for each category and the duration of the plan.
• Track expenditure against your budget.
• We will mentor and coach you to build your understanding of the NDIS
• Implement a Standing Approval to automatically approve invoices from providers on your behalf. If you opt-out of Standing Approval for any of your providers, automatically approve invoices will occur after 3 days if you have not approved or rejected them within our payment timeframe. 

Extensive resources

• Our teams are experts in navigating NDIS information system.
• We have access to a diverse range of information about suitable mainstream services and activities.

Proactive communications

• We will prioritise crisis situations and attend to them as appropriate
• We will commit to regular, open, and responsive communication if your preferred format.
• Better Planning will provide you with a free Mobile App called Careview Advantage. This is available for both Apple and Android mobile phones which allow the participant a ‘live’ view of their NDIS plan funding managed by Better Planning. A participant has the option to approve or decline the invoice via this App. When an invoice is uploaded, the App will receive a notification alerting to the new invoice. Participants have the choice of selecting auto approval for invoices or manually approve each one received.

We agree to deliver a positive support coordination experience by:

• Providing services in accordance with the service descriptions.
• Pay all service provider invoices that meet the NDIS ‘reasonable and necessary’ legislation as approved by you.
• Once invoices have been validated by you, provider payment will be completed within less than 2 days. 
• Process your reimbursement claims that meet the NDIS ‘reasonable and necessary’ legislation.
• Protecting your privacy and confidential information in accordance with the Better Planning Privacy & Confidentiality Policy, as published and updated on our website: https://betterplanning.com.au/privacy.
• Communicating openly and honestly in a timely manner.
• Treating you with courtesy and respect and deliver our services in a fair, equitable and transparent manner.
• Consulting you on decisions regarding how your supports are provided.
• Facilitating arrangements for your Advocate (as defined under the NDIS) if you are affected by a complaint or incident and wish to be independently supported in that process by an Advocate.
• Helping you understand your plan and what supports funding can be used for establishing connection between you and providers.
• Setting up plan budgets for each category for the duration of the plan.
• Maintaining accurate records regarding the supports delivered to you.
• Providing you with information about managing any complaints or disagreements with providers (including the details of their cancellation policy, if relevant); and
• Listening to your feedback and resolve problems as quickly as is reasonable to do so. 

However, please note that Better Planning, and its Plan Managers are not able to,

• Act as an Advocate for you, however further information on disability advocacy and finding a disability Advocate can be found at www.ndiscommission.gov.au/participants/disability-advocacy and disabilityadvocacyfinder.dss.gov.au/disability/ndap/
• Provide you with case management services; or
• Provide you with any transport in a private vehicle owned by Better Planning or one of its employees.

The NDIS Terms of Business for Registered Providers require providers to have policies (BP-HR-26 Conflict of Interest Policy) about potential conflicts of interest in service delivery. Better Planning and its team members will:

• Ensure that when providing support to participants under the NDIS, including when offering Plan Management services, any conflict of interest is declared and any risks to participants are mitigated.
• Ensure that advice to a participant about support options (including those not delivered directly by Better Planning) is transparent and promotes choice and control.

Better Planning respects and fully commits to upholding the rights of all people, including those with disabilities. We are also committed to ensuring you are aware of your rights and responsibilities and are supported to exercise them.

In supporting you to exercise your rights, we must comply with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 and NDIS Practice Standards (2018) - Rights and Responsibilities.

Respect

You have the right to be respected, accepted, and always treated with dignity when working with Better Planning.

A Safe Environment

Every person has a right to live a life free from fear of violence, abuse, harm, neglect, and exploitation, regardless of their disability, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, or political or other opinion. You have a right to be safe and protected while with Better Planning.

Autonomy and Independence

You have the right to make your own choices and decisions, to have control over your own life, and to choose the supports and services that best suit your needs. Better Planning will always respect your independence and the decisions you make.

Person-Centred Decision Making

Better Planning is committed to a person-centred approach to service delivery and service development. Better Planning will take into account individual choices and the rights of each participant when providing services. All participants have the right to make their own decisions and to have choices that enable them to fully participate in their community.

Non-discrimination

You have the right not to be discriminated against on the basis of your disability, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, or political or other opinion, both with Better Planning and in every other arena. You have the right to be free from stereotypes and prejudices. No one at Better Planning will ever discriminate against or stereotype you.

Participation and Inclusion

You have the right to full and effective social participation and cultural inclusion, and to have your individual and cultural needs supported while you are with Better Planning.

Equal Opportunities 

Better Planning will always support you to exercise your right to reach your full potential, and to have your capability and capacity recognised and supported. Better Planning will always promote your rights, interests, and wellbeing.

Accessibility

You have the right to access all aspects of social, recreational, educational, and vocational life, in a way which is free from discrimination, abuse, neglect and exploitation. You have the right to equal access to the physical environment, transport, information and communication, and other facilities. Better Planning will always offer its services and supports in a way which is fully accessible.

Equality 

You have the right to be treated equally, including under the law and between genders. Every person at Better Planning is equal and will always be treated equally.

Access to Justice

You have the right to equal access and participation in the justice system. Better Planning will always support you to access the justice system, should you require it.

Exercising Your Rights

You can exercise your rights at all times while with Better Planning and expect to have your rights upheld and respected.

Better Planning is committed to working in partnership with all participants, and their families, to ensure that everyone remains happy, healthy, safe in and is empowered to achieve their goals. We are 100% committed to upholding your rights, and we ask that you also uphold your responsibilities during your time with Better Planning.

Treating Our Staff with Respect

Better Planning staff have the right to come to a safe and happy workplace. We ask that you treat any employee or representative of Better Planning, and its enterprises, with courtesy and respect.

Working with Better Planning to Ensure Services Meet Your Needs

You have a responsibility to work with the Better Planning team to ensure the services we are providing to you truly meet your needs. Please reach out to us if your goals or needs change, or if you are not happy with the outcomes you are achieving.

We also ask that you talk with us in circumstances where we raise concerns with you directly about how the service is going.

Changes to Contact and Support Information

It is the responsibility of participants, or their representatives, to inform Better Planning of any changes to:

• Contact details, living arrangements, transport requirements, home environment and personal situation, as this can impact the provision of the services we provide.
• Your NDIS plan or billing arrangements.
• Anything else that may affect your service with Better Planning.

Health and Safety

We ask that you respect Better Planning’s WH&S policies and procedures and listen to requests from staff as it relates to safety when conducting visits and behave in a professional manner. Unsafe and/or violent behaviours are not tolerated by Better Planning. An unsafe behaviour is any behaviour that may endanger the safety of an individual or others around them, such as throwing items or aggressive acts.

Personal Relationships

At Better Planning, we encourage the development of strong, dynamic and vibrant relationships between everyone within the organisation, including between all staff, volunteers, participants, supporters, and other stakeholders. We believe that the stronger and deeper our interpersonal relationships are, the better we will fare as an organisation. We encourage all our personnel to adopt healthy relationships with others involved in the organisation, but we do expect that everyone remains mindful of each other’s boundaries. If an individual feels that a relationship with any person involved with the organisation has crossed a line, they are encouraged to bring it to the attention of a Manager.

You have the choice about whether your family, carers and advocates are involved in the decision-making process and in the exercising of your rights. Your choice in this regard will always be respected. 

To ensure the open and transparent flow of communication about your services, we will always endeavour to keep your family, carers and advocates up to date about your progress at Better Planning. If you would rather, we do not share any information about your program with your family, please let us know and this preference will be respected.

Better Planning fully supports your right to have an independent advocate support you in your interactions with us. If you would like help finding an independent advocate, speak to one of our staff.

PWDA – People with Disability Australia:

Phone: 1800 422 016

Email: pwd@pwd.org.au

Mental Health Advocacy Service:

The Mental Health Advocacy Service (MHAS) is a state-wide specialist service of Legal Aid NSW. We provide free legal information, advice and assistance about mental health law.

You can telephone for an appointment to come and speak to a lawyer at our Burwood office. 

Phone: 02 9745 4277

Intellectual Disability Rights Service

The Intellectual Disability Rights Service provides services from four locations in NSW. The head office is base in Redfern. The regional offices provide support for people with intellectual disability at police stations, courts and other locations for criminal matters. These are services of the Criminal Justice Support Network.

Phone: 1800 666 611

Email: info@idrs.org.au

Website: www.idrs.org.au

Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association

The Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW (MDAA) is the peak body for all people in NSW with disability and their families and carers, with a particular focus on those from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD)/ Non-English Speaking (NES) background with disability.

Phone: 1800629072

Email: ses@mdaa.org.au

Postal: PO Box 144 Hurstville NSW 1481 

Alternatively, you can use the Disability Advocacy Finder, which is available online at https://disabilityadvocacyfinder.dss.gov.au/disability/ndap.

When you start with Better Planning, we will discuss with you our service agreement which is also our consent form.

You have the right to have your privacy respected by Better Planning, in terms of the information we retain about you, and the information we share with your family, support workers and advocates.

We collect, use, protect and release Personal Information in full compliance with relevant State and Federal privacy legislation and will only be released to other people or services with your informed consent, in an emergency, or where such disclosure is required or authorised by law. For example, Mandatory Reporting of any child protection concerns.

Better Planning will only collect information necessary for safe and effective service delivery. These files are an integral part of daily operations and service delivery at Better Planning.

We will only use information for the purpose it was collected and secure it safely. When we collect your information, we will explain why we are collecting the information and how we plan to use it.

Recorded material in audio and or visual format may be required for proof of consent and or to support services. You will be informed prior to recording of what is being captured the reasons for it and who it is for. We will only take photos or videos of you with your full and voluntary consent.

Types of consent used by Better planning.

• Written—For all service agreements
• Verbal—Can be used where it is not practicable to obtain written consent

We will keep clear records about the services delivered to you and you may access the information we hold about you, including in order to update or correct it, subject to certain exceptions. If you wish to access your information, please speak to a staff member.

When your information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, we will destroy or permanently de-identify it.

At intervals across the year, Better Planning will attempt to collect quantitative and qualitative statistical information for the purposes of quality control, measurement of impact, etc. 

Better Planning will request permission from the participant and their family/carer or guardian to participate prior to the information gathering exercise.

If individuals would not like to participate in our information gathering program, or would like to opt out at any stage, they have the right to do so. Simply email enquiry@betterplanning.com.au for more information or to opt out of statistical gathering exercises.

You have the right to provide feedback about the services you receive from Better Planning, and to make a complaint at any time. We will listen to your feedback and work to resolve any issues or problems as quickly as we can.

What Happens Once I Raise A Complaint?

When you raise a complaint to Better Planning, we will explain:

• What will happen while the complaint is being dealt with.
• What supports are available to you while the complaint is being dealt with.
• Who will deal with the complaint.
• What will happen next, such as when you are likely to be contacted.

You Should Not:

• Be made to feel that you cannot make a complaint.
• Feel that making a complaint will have any effect on the services you are receiving from Better Planning.
• Feel that you cannot request assistance while making the complaint.

The time it takes to resolve a complaint will depend on the nature of the complaint. Simple complaints may be resolved immediately. If we need to make further enquiries, it may take a few weeks to resolve.

Better Planning is committed to resolving complaints in the timeliest manner possible. Once the complaint is resolved, you will be informed of the outcome. You may wish to raise any ongoing problems or concerns at this time.

How to Provide Feedback or Make a Complaint

If you wish to give Better Planning feedback or make a complaint, please contact us at any time via:

Phone: 1300 318 056

Email: enquiry@betterplanning.com.au

Mail: PO Box W67, West Wollongong NSW 2500

Web: www.betterplanning.com.au/feedback-compliments-and-complaints

What If I am Not Happy with The Outcome of The Complaint?

If you are not satisfied that your comment or complaint has been appropriately managed, please feel free to contact Better Planning CEO, Craig Claridge, at any time on:

Email: craig@betterplanning.com.au

Mbl: 0412 404 630

You Can Also Contact the NDIS, Ombudsman and Other Services

If you are not satisfied with Better Planning’s treatment of your complaint, or you do not want to talk to Better Planning, you can access the following supports:

1. National Disability Insurance Agency Quality and Safeguards Commission

A complaint can be made to the Commission by:

Phone: 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines) or

Web: www.ndiscommission.gov.au/about/complaints-feedback/complaints

TTY 133 677 Interpreters can be arranged.

Further information is also available at www.ndis.gov.au

The Commission can take complaints about services or supports that were not provided in a safe and respectful way, or that were not delivered to an appropriate standard.

2. NSW Ombudsman

You can contact the NSW Ombudsman at:

Phone: (02) 9286 1000 (Sydney metro) or 1800 451 524 (rural/ regional callers only)

Web: www.ombo.nsw.gov.au

3. Administrative Decisions Tribunal

The Administrative Decisions Tribunal can review such decisions in certain circumstances. Further information can be found at:

Phone: 1800 060 410

Web: www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/adt

4. Anti-Discrimination Board (ADB)

The ADB investigates and conciliates such complaints.

Further information can be found at:

Phone: (02) 9268 5555 or 1800 670 812 (rural/regional callers only)

Web: www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/ADB

Better Planning take all incidents very seriously and can assure you that we will report all incidents to the relevant authorities as a matter of the highest priority.

Better Planning will also conduct very comprehensive internal investigation and ensure the following takes place during and after the investigation. The QHSE&R Manager will contact you to provide regular updates of the investigations progress.

Better Planning will review the findings with you and discuss what actions are being undertaken to eliminate or mitigate this from happening in the future. Better Planning will provide you a copy of the completed Incident report findings and SMART actions for your records.

 If you have any questions or require additional information, please call our office, and ask to speak with the QHSE&R Manager at any time.

Phone: 1300 318 056

Email: craig@betterplanning.com.au

So, you are keen to get started.

What should you do now?

The first thing you need to do is contact the Better Planning Team and let them know you are ready to get started. The team will arrange an appointment at a time of your choosing to review your supports and complete a service agreement to allow Better Planning to assist and support you during your NDIS journey. 

Better Planning Service Agreement

This document describes how we will work together to deliver services. It includes our terms and conditions, as well as information about cancellation of supports, funding arrangements etc. It is important that you read your Service Agreement and sign. Better Planning will answer all your questions and if you need more time to consider your options or seek advice, we will fully support your request.

Schedule of Supports

The Schedule of Supports is incorporated into the service agreement which explains what services we will be delivering to you and what NDIS line number we will be using. 

Fees & Charges

We will discuss fees with you before providing services and include all fees in the Service Agreement. The Service Agreement contains detailed information about the services we will provide you and how fees are paid. This must be agreed to by you before services can commence.

Better Planning will provide you with regular invoices and statements to assist you to manage payment for our services.

All participants have the right to exit Better Planning services at any time and a decision to do so will not prejudice future access to the service. You must give us 14 days’ notice in writing if you wish to leave our services before the end date in your Service Agreement.

All participants exiting the service will be offered an Exit Interview, where we can discuss the reason for them leaving and obtain feedback about how we can improve our processes. We also provide a support summary to support people exiting or changing services. 

Participants who have chosen to exit our services have the right to re-access services without having to follow formal access processes, provided the necessary resources are available.

If you wish to end your service provision, please speak to a staff member.

If any material amendments to the Service Agreement are required, Better Planning shall notify you in writing of the changes and these shall be considered accepted by you, unless you otherwise notify us in writing, within 7 calendar days.

Better Planning shall notify you immediately of any changes and present a workable solution for your consideration.

Better Planning will work with you to find the best way forward that does not impact of your services.

Where changes or interruptions are unavoidable, alternative arrangements are explained and agreed with the participant.

Example of unplanned interruption could be workers becomes ill or family emergencies, vehicle breakdowns, natural disasters and or extreme weather conditions.

Better Planning understands that living with a disability can be challenging. We are here to assist you and will attempt a resolution as a priority and only end services if it is identified that it cannot be managed or reconciled.

Better Planning may terminate a participant’s services when:

• Abusing or assaulting an employee, provider, other participant, or damage to Better Planning property.
• Possessing, trafficking, or supplying illicit drugs.
• Continually breaching the terms and conditions of the Better Planning Service Agreement.
• They are unwilling over a period to work towards agreed goals.
• Financial requirements are not being met.
• Acting which is intended to harm Better Planning reputation.

Any person whose services are terminated have the right to appeal. Appeals should be directed in writing to Better Planning Operations Manager.

Better Planning Pty Ltd

Po Box W67, West Wollongong, NSW 2500

Phone: 1300 318 056

Email: enquiry@betterplanning.com.au

Office Hours

Monday - Thursday: 9am to 4pm

Friday: 9am to 3pm

Weekend: Closed

Public Holidays: Closed