Before you can begin receiving supports from a Service Provider, you will need to set up a Service Agreement with them. The Service Agreement will outline the supports the provider will deliver and how they will deliver those supports. This is commonly referred to as a Schedule of Supports. In a Schedule of Supports it will also outline the prices of the services you’ve chosen and the part of your NDIS Plan in which funding will be drawn from.
A Service Agreement is a written contract between you and the provider, so it’s important that you understand and are in agreement with all the details included. This means that both you and your provider have obligations and responsibilities to meet as part of this agreement.
At Lifebridge, we’re assisting people to transition to the NDIS every day. And when talking to participants about their Service Agreements, there are some common areas in which people tend to overlook, but are vitally important to understand.
To be as transparent as possible, we’ve outlined these below so you know what questions to ask, and what details to look out for.
Terms
In every Service Agreement, there are terms. These terms relate to a number of different areas, however, the one we would like to draw your attention to is, the terms of cancellation. Many participants don’t realise their obligation when they sign with a provider. Please check these when signing up for service. The terms in a Agreement are there to protect you, but also to protect the provider. If you feel the terms that are detailed are unfair, query them, and then decide if you would like to continue further with that provider.
Provider choice
Because you talk to one provider, doesn’t mean you have to receive all your supports from them. Not all Service Providers will be able to meet all your support needs, and not all providers may be able to meet all your needs to a standard you are comfortable with. As a participant under the NDIS you have choice in who you want to provide service and how. Each provide you agree to provide service will need to provide you with a Service Agreement.
Maintaining existing service
Even if you are an existing customer of a provider and you want to stay with that provider under the NDIS, you will still need to set up a Service Agreement with them. This is necessary, because your supports may have changed, funding changed, and the way in which the organisation operates may also have changed.
Schedule of Supports
Schedule of Supports can also be known as a quote, that is provided to you from the Service Provider you are considering. The Schedule of Supports will be different between each provider you engage with, so it’s important you understand what is detail in this document.
A good Schedule of Supports will offer transparency between the service, the cost and the hours of service able to be provided as well as indicating where the funding allocation against your NDIS Plan. At Lifebridge, we also detail where there are Non-NDIS Supports which are not covered by your funding so that you can make an informed decision whether these are supports that you would like to pursue.
Review thoroughly
Service Agreements between providers will vary and it is importantly if you are receiving services from multiple providers you know and understand the terms within each Agreement.
If you have any questions about a Service Agreement with Lifebridge contact 1800 043 186.
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