HUNTER-BASED disability services Life Without Barriers and Lifestyle Solutions are two of the seven service providers whose operations were examined in an NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission inquiry into supported accommodation released on Monday.
The report says the commission investigated about 7000 "reportable incidents" and complaints about "supports in group homes" from the seven chosen Supported Independent Living (SIL) providers over a four-year period between July 1, 2018, and September 30, 2022.
The report found that "a significant proportion" of reportable incidents logged in relation to the seven providers "related to the alleged abuse or neglect of a person with disability by a worker", with "many of these reports concern verbal abuse, rough handling, and a worker exerting undue influence over a group home resident.
The report aggregates the data - so that the published 134-page document does not allow for any sort of comparison between the seven providers - but the lobby group People With Disability Australia and NDIS Minister Bill Shorten both expressed surprise at the problems uncovered by the commission.
The commission said detailed reports would go to each of the seven providers but details of the complaints against them would not be made public because the information were defined as "protected" under the NDIS Act.
"These reports also include information for the provider about actions the NDIS commission may require them to take to address any issues that have been identified through the Inquiry.
"This may include the NDIS commission monitoring the work that some of these providers have underway in relation to any issues identified through the Inquiry."
Apart from Life Without Barriers and Lifestyle Solutions, the other five providers examined were Aruma Services, Endeavour Foundation, Minda Incorporated, Scope (Australia) Ltd and The Disability Trust.
The report said: "These seven providers were chosen because they represent a significant part of the supported accommodation market across Australia, and the NDIS Commission had received complaints and been notified of reportable incidents relating to their supports."
As "significant providers in the NDIS market", they collectively handled more than $1.2 billion in NDIS funds in 2021-22.
Life Without Barriers was the biggest, with 3579 NDIS participants, of whom 1219 received SIL funding. Lifestyle Solutions had 1252 NDIS participants, including 212 with SIL.
The report found "a need for specific regulation of group home settings".
Complaints were linked closely with the "the attitude and aptitude of the workforce", and "the interface" between health services and group homes was "not effective for many".
Life Without Barriers said it "commends" the report, which "understood and embraced the inherent complexity of supported accommodation".
"Life Without Barriers believes the report has understood and embraced the inherent complexity of supported accommodation and reflects the insights of people with disability and the service sector in seeking to explore better opportunities for the future," a spokesperson said.
"The Commission has invested in outlining relevant and practical measures that can be achieved in partnership with people with disability, their supporters, providers and regulators to elevate the experiences and opportunities of people in supported independent living under the NDIS."
Ian Kirkwood
Reporting journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1987. Editorial writer, general reporter, industrial relations, industry and coal.
Reporting journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1987. Editorial writer, general reporter, industrial relations, industry and coal.
