National Disability Insurance Scheme
All of our services are NDIS ready, we have a very experienced team of health professionals that are passionate about assisting people with disability improve their independence and quality of life.
Occupational Therapy
Our team of Occupational Therapists (OTs) are highly experienced and offer a broad range of services. We focus on helping our clients live independently in their homes and communities, provide rehabilitation and pain management strategies.
Click here to find out more about our Occupational Therapy services
Exercise Physiology
Our Exercise Physiologists are incredibly passionate about helping people with disability improve their activity and exercise regimes to enhance their quality of life. Using a combination of evidence-based exercises, movements and stretches, our Exercise Physiologists create self-improvement plans designed to meet the individual needs of our clients.
Click here to find out more about our Exercise Physiology services
Dietetics
Our Dietitians are highly experienced and specialise in helping people manage conditions including obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome (hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia etc.).
They also have a thorough knowledge of FODMAP diets and their use as an effective dietary therapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Click here to find out more about our Dietetic services
NDIS frequently asked questions
"What is your cancellation policy?"
Our cancellation policy was created using the National Disability Insurance Scheme price guide. This government funded program, for which you have a plan, allows for provider organisations like us to get paid when our participants miss a session, for whatever reason.
The cancellation fee is charged to your NDIS funded plan as per our service agreement, which you signed.
Whilst we recognise your circumstances were exceptional, this is in part why the NDIS allow us to apply a cancellation fee. For exceptional circumstances, where short notice (or no notification) is given, and we are unable to replace your booking.
In normal circumstances, where a change in appointment is required, clients give us sufficient notice (more than 2 business days) for us to replace this appointment with another client.
So, our cancellation policy is usually applied when our participants have exceptional circumstances.
In these circumstances, the NDIA recognise that our business costs remain, and staff/contractors still need to be paid. It covers us for these exceptional situations.
The NDIA recognises the challenges of late cancellations or no shows to their Provider Organisations (like us), and support businesses like ours to be sustainable. Without this, unpaid cancellations would compromise our ability to continue to be a valued NDIS provider organisation.
"How do you set your hourly rate?"
Our hourly rate is based off the NDIS price guide. This number has been benchmarked against industry standards and reflects the qualifications, the experience, the efficiency, the expertise and professionalism of the Active One team as a whole.
The hourly rate also represents the significant additional administrative workload required to be an Registered NDIS Provider.
To qualify as a Registered NDIS Provider, we were required to go through a stringent auditing process. A thorough audit is conducted, ensuring we have all the necessary policies and procedures in place and that we meet the standards set by the NDIA.
We are also required to follow a whole range of NDIA requirements to maintain our status as a Registered NDIS Provider. This involves significant additional administrative time, in addition to the time our health professionals spend with our participants.
The hourly rate factors in all of the above and is representative of the costs involved in providing NDIS funded services.
*Active One Group will automatically increase our prices in accordance with any annual (or other) indexation made by the NDIA, to the maximum price limit for therapy services, effective from the date the NDIA increase price limits.
"What is non-face to face billable time?"
Non-face to face time is time our health professionals spend behind the scenes performing various activities. These tasks are crucial in assisting our participants to achieve their goals.
Non-face to face time does not include general administrative activities, such as creating a Service Agreement, enrolment and staff rostering; these activities are performed by our Administrative team.
These administrative tasks may include the following:
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Session preparation, note taking and clinical documentation
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Communication and liaison with a client, the clients’ family or representative, the support coordinator and other relevant parties
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Communication and liaison with other treating health and medical professionals
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Report writing
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Completion of relevant paperwork in support of funding for home modifications and assistive technology (i.e AT forms)
Our health professionals time, whether that be face to face or non-face to face time, is focused on assisting our participants to achieve their goals. It is therefore billed at the same hourly rate regardless of the type work performed in assisting our participants.
As registered practitioners with AHPRA and ESSA, we must adhere to a Code of Conduct which includes recording accurate and concise documentation or progress notes. Non-face to face billable time enables us to ensure we are adhering to our professional Code of Conduct.
"Why do I have to sign a service agreement and a service plan?"
When you agree to use your NDIS budget to pay for supports, you are entering into a contract with your provider. In our case, it is an agreement between you and Active One Health Professional Group. The NDIA recommends having a written service agreement, so participants and providers are clear about what each party has agreed to.
For example, what supports will be delivered and how they will be delivered. Our service agreements include both what to expect from us and our expectations of you in the process.
Service Agreements help to ensure there is a shared understanding of:
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Expectations of what supports will be delivered and how they will be delivered; and
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The respective responsibilities and obligations of the provider and the participant; and
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How to resolve any problems that may arise; and
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The costs of supports and services to be delivered.
It is covered by Australian Consumer Law.
Once the Service Agreement is in place, our health professional/s will conduct a comprehensive assessment. We discuss the participant's goals and use the information from the assessment to collaborate with the participant and/or relevant stakeholders to create a Service Plan.
We essentially create a plan with the participant (or their representative), prioritising treatment and interventions, which align with the participant's individualised goals and fits in with their NDIS plan budget.
"Why do I have to trial the equipment you are prescribing first?"
Our team of health professionals do all they can to ensure the equipment they prescribe is right for you. Whilst we do our best to ensure the product is suitable for you, by completing a thorough assessment and completing a range of measurements (where required), at times we find that after the initial trial, further modifications or different equipment may be required.
Without this trial, we could potentially have our participants accept equipment that is at best not quite right for them, or at worst, is dangerous and could lead to injury.
So, the trial is an essential step in making sure the equipment is right for you.
Furthermore, it is a requirement of the NDIS when writing an application for equipment funding that we demonstrate a trial has taken place. There are very few reasons the NDIS will accept a trial not taking place, i.e. equipment only available in another state, participant lives rurally with no transportation.
"how long is your wait list?"
We encourage all referrers to contact us to discuss individual cases and their urgency.
For Occupational Therapy services, in circumstances we consider urgent, we can prioritise these clients to ensure they receive the necessary intervention as soon as possible.
All other services we offer, including exercise physiology, podiatry, dietetics, and audiology, do not have wait times. We are able to book these appointments immediately.
"Do I have to pay for the therapist’s travel time and kilometres?"
Our participant’s medical condition and/or lifestyle needs often make a visit to our clinic neither practical nor appropriate. Instead, we are required to take additional time out of our day to travel to a participant's home or community to perform an assessment and/or follow up interventions.
The NDIS price guide recognises the additional costs involved in providing an out of clinic service, including other consulting opportunities lost whilst health professionals travel to and from (or between) participants.
The NDIS price guide also recognises the additional cost of running a vehicle during these visits, which includes things like petrol, road tolls, parking, insurance and vehicle wear and tear. Charging a per kilometre rate for travel to and from participant consultations is standard industry practice.
"Is it possible to prioritise a participant with urgent needs?"
We encourage all referrers to contact us to discuss individual cases and their urgency. In circumstances we consider urgent, we can prioritise these participants to ensure they receive the necessary intervention as soon as possible.
"How do I provide feedback or make a complaint?"
We welcome any feedback that can help us improve the service we provide to you - positive or negative.
Please let us know what we can do to improve your experience with us to ensure that you receive the highest quality service from us.
If you need assistance to provide feedback, let us know. We can help arrange an interpreter, different communication aids or a support person to assist you.
Feedback can be provided in many ways, either via phone, email, or online and you can do this either directly with your treating therapist, one of our managers, or by contacting the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
The NDIS also have an online form that you can complete. You can access it here.
"Do we provide a service to people under 18?"
Yes we do. However, it will depend on exactly what service is required. It is best to call our office to discuss the needs of the child with one of our team.