NDIS complexity a ‘valid concern’ for doctors

The AMA has taken aim at the ‘complexity and difficulty’ of the NDIS, warning it has led clinicians to diagnosis children with more severe forms of autism than they have.

Australian Medical Association president Steve Robson.

Australia’s peak doctor’s association has taken aim at the “complexity and difficulty” of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, warning it has led clinicians to diagnosis children with more severe forms of autism than they have.

Australian Medical Association president Steve Robson said misuse of the nation’s disability scheme was likely a result of complex logistic challenges encountered by paediatric doctors when engaging with services.

The Weekend Australian revealed children were being diagnosed with more severe autism than their characteristics warranted to give them a greater chance of securing a place on the NDIS, boosting participant numbers and putting further pressure on the $34bn a year scheme’s financial sustainability.

About one in 70 Australians has autism, with more than 50 per cent of participants under 18 on the NDIS diagnosed with the condition.

Professor Robson said inappropriate use of the scheme was a “valid concern” and it was important all resources under the NDIS were granted fairly and equitably to ensure children with serious needs did not miss out on support.

“I think it’s a very valid concern, particularly with autism and it’s something that comes up,” Prof Robson said.

“I suspect it also affects a lot of other things, and of course the concern everybody has is people who should be getting the assistance can’t access it, and people who don’t have the same level of need are accessing or being funded by the NDIS.

“It is such an enormous complex system but it needs careful watching and I think for specifically talking about autism here, we all want to make absolutely sure that the right help gets to the right person and their family.”

Under current NDIS guidelines autism is categorised into three levels of severity, with levels two and three “being likely to meet the disability requirements” for entry on to the scheme.

Prof Robson said the criteria needed to meet each level of severity for diagnosis were too vague, and left too much scope for interpretation.

“I have colleagues who are very experienced specialist paediatricians just scratching their heads and the complexity and time-consuming nature of actually dealing with the NDIS,” Prof Robson said.

“It is critically important that resources are used wisely, fairly and equitably to maximise the utility of the whole scheme and to minimise any kind of inappropriate or wasteful expenditure.”

Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia convener Bob Buckley said early intervention and treatment for autistic children was critical to both improving quality of life and reducing the burden on taxpayers.

Mr Buckley said early intervention could save the commonwealth significant amounts of money, with the average person with autism costing the government about $7m from birth through to age 65.

He said interventionist strategies to help support autistic children in schools were essential in helping them become self-sufficient later in life, with educational outcomes worse than for indigenous populations, according to ABS data.

“The big crunch is education … a significant part of children who refuse to go to school are autistic children and it’s because they’re not adequately supported in education … so if you don’t get an education the prospect of getting a job after you leave school is pretty slim,” Mr Buckley said.