NDIS REPORT WRITING GUIDE FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
To write effective supporting documentation for people with disabilities and complex
support needs seeking access to the NDIS (or needing to change existing plans), you need to
get the words right.
Health practitioners need to write about the person’s health condition and the impairment as
they always have and that’s their area of expertise.
When writing to support access to NDIS, the NDIA relies on the information provided about a
person to assess eligibility and support accurate NDIS plans. People with disability seeking
access to NDIS funding need to meet criteria of permanent impairment. This requires health
practitioners to:
1. Support people with disability through the steps required to gain access to the NDIS.
2. Make clear connections between the health condition and the impairment, and the impact
these have on the person’s ability to undertake tasks or activities (activity limitation) and
their ability to participate in life roles (participation).
To meet the criteria for disability eligibility, you have to show that the impairment
substantially reduces the person’s functional capacity. To do this, health practitioners need
to:
1. Use the language of diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation to describe the condition and
the impairment.
2. Build on this to write about activity limitation, function and participation.
The following diagram is designed to ensure your report incorporates clinical language and focuses on the terminology required by the NDIS. This is the language you will need to utilise
in any supporting documentation you submit
Diagram Overview:
1. Progression of Language: The diagram illustrates the transition from medical or health
system language to the language of participation that aligns with NDIS criteria and
terminology
2. Integration of Terminology: It merges the language used in the health system with that of
the NDIS Act 2013. The goal is to guide health practitioners on how to articulate a
person’s permanent impairment and the associated activity limitations that impact their
participation in daily, community, and economic life.
| How the issue is defined | Words and phrases to use | Descriptions to use | Writing for the NDIS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HEALTH CONDITION | An atypical health condition. | Disease Injury Illness Syndrome Condition Fracture Genetic Patient Treatment | “...sustained an acquired brain injury (ABI) subsequent to a cerebral vascular accident (CVA)/ stroke... | Describe the health condition: “Liz’s acquired brain injury…” |
| IMPAIRMENT | Problem in body function or body structure | Impaired Decreased Limited Poor Contusion Hemiparesis Patient Rehabilitation | “...sustained left frontotemporal haematoma with right upper and lower limb hemiparesis... Presents with moderate to severe, permanent cognitive impairment in areas of attention, working memory, impulse control...” | Describe the permanent impairment: “…has resulted in permanent cognitive communication impairment. He has difficulty with comprehension and verbal communication and his social functioning is impaired..” |
| LIMITATIONS | Problem with carrying out a task or activity | Aided Needs support with... Unable to... Requires prompting... Skill development Compensatory strategies Patient/Client Rehabilitation | “...unable to safely walk more than 100m unaided... becomes distressed and angry at local shop keeper when he has to wait in line... forgets items to purchase due to memory impairment...” | “…This permanent impairment is severely limiting John’s ability to have conversations as he used to with his children..." |
| PARTICIPATION | Problem with involvement in life situations | Functional Meaningful activities Everyday situation Social roles Participates in.. Context specific Valued outcomes Big things Meaningful goals Client/ Person/ Participant Enabling; Maintaining; Preventing Deterioration; Small, slow incremental gains | ...isn’t working as continues to forget job interview appointments... socially isolated and stays at home...shopkee per has indicated that he will be banned from shop if outburst happens again” | Impact of Functional Impairment on Life Roles The functional impairment significantly restricts the individual's ability to fulfill their life roles. Specifically, it has a profound effect on his capacity to perform as a father in the same manner he did before the injury. John needs continuous support from a Speech Pathologist to sustain the progress he has made during rehabilitation in this aspect of his life. This ongoing assistance is crucial for him to reach his goal of being a good dad to his children. The Speech Pathologist can monitor and adjust his strategies to help him maintain his current level of functioning. At present, he is capable of… |
DISABILTY: Incorporates impairment, activity limitation and participation for a person. The
NDIS’ focus is at the participation end of the spectrum, which is about the person’s goals, life
roles, functional capacity. Your documentation, requests and evidence need to include health
condition and impairment but should emphasise limitations in their activity and capacity to
participate.