NDIS support co-ordinators quit over poor pay

Gabby Hall has put $150,000 of her own money into keeping her business that supports those in the NDIS afloat. Now she’s being forced to close her doors, and she’s criticised Bill Shorten.

Exclusive: Tens of thousands of people with a disability face losing their NDIS support co-ordinator in the next six months, after more than 300 providers indicated they will pull out of the disability scheme following a fifth consecutive annual pay freeze.

Since the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) released its Annual Price Review at the end of June, 25 businesses have closed, leaving 6000 people without a support co-ordinator, while 300 more have given notice they will be shutting within six months, according to the peak body.

Among the big names pulling out of support co-ordinator provision is Anglicare, which is withdrawing from Darwin. It pulled out of Tasmania last year.

The Benevolent Society said from September 1, it will no longer provide support co-ordination services across Queensland, NSW, Victoria and the ACT.

Jess Harper, CEO of peak body Disability Intermediaries Australia, said the fact that such a well established national charity cannot sustain services should be “ringing alarm bells” with NDIS Minister Bill Shorten.

“Quality providers are being driven from the market,” Mr Harper said. “The NDIA has simply gotten this year’s Annual Price Review very wrong.”

The NDIA has kept support co-ordinators hourly fee at $100.14 for four years, this will be the fifth, meanwhile business costs have increased by at least 30 per cent over the same period, according to those in the sector.

Advocates fear dodgy providers will fill the space.

Gabby Hall, Managing Director My Care Planner, is shutting her business in August. Pictured at her Adelaide office. Picture: Tom Huntley

Gabby Hall, 30, who runs My Care Planner from Adelaide, offering plan management and support co-ordination to more than 500 NDIS clients, broke down as she revealed she was closing on August 31 and letting go of 10 full-time staff.

She has spent $150,000 of her own money trying to keep the business going. The Annual Price Review fifth price freeze was the death knell.

“Good support co-ordinators are highly skilled, qualified in social work and delivering complex plans, sorting out conflicts and helping people find accommodation,” Ms Hall said. “It’s a hands-on role. I am worried about my clients, but I can’t keep paying out of my own pocket to keep the business going.”

She said plan managers, which is the other part of her business, had copped an enormous amount of unfair criticism from Mr Shorten, who has labelled them as “ticket clippers,” “parasitic pen pushers”, “paying for sex and drugs,” and “spivs and shonks,” although he recently admitted there were some good ones.

Noah, 14, Katherine, 16, Maddison, 12, and mum Tracy Davey, 47, from Adelaide. All three kids have autism. Mum Tracy has heart failure. Picture: Supplied

“Bill Shorten’s constant zingers against us have been the cherry on the cake,” Ms Hall said. “He has demonised us.

“We are on the frontline and are reporting fraud when we see it. I can count on one hand how many times the agency has come back to us wanting more information.”

Tracy Davey, 47, is mum to three kids with autism, Katherine, 16, Noah, 14, and Maddison, 12, who are all clients of Ms Hall.

Ms Davey, a single parent, has heart failure.

She fears she won’t find a provider to take on all three children, with complex cases, and organise therapies in the best, most economical way for the family.

“I think it will be a scramble to find a provider,” Ms Davey said.

Another client is Amber, 13, who has an intellectual disability.

Her mother Trish Van Oevelen, 58, said this will be the fourth support co-ordinator she will have to find in 18 months.

The NDIA has been approached for comment.

Originally published as NDIS support co-ordinators quit over poor pay