Student and early career CPD essentials

The team provided additional feedback on the NDIS Amendment Bill 2024 to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee.

The Community Affairs Legislation Committee has passed the NDIS amendment Bill. Some concerns revolve around the inclusion of osteopathy and ensuring fairness for everyone.

The NDIS Amendment Bill 2024, which has been updated by the Department of Social Services and has passed the House of Representatives in its third reading, proposes significant changes to the NDIS Act, particularly redefining what constitutes an "NDIS support." The Bill aims to clarify and streamline the determination of supports that the NDIS can fund.

The NDIS Provider and Worker Registration taskforce's roundtable covered key topics like NDIS provider definition, self-directed supports, and worker registration. They emphasised the importance of visibility in strengthening regulations and welcomed testing new ideas.

The team attended the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee budget estimates. Several relevant topics for osteopaths were discussed, including disability funding, financial challenges for allied health professionals, and aged care and hospital support investments.

This report summarises key consultation themes to follow from the new Aged Care Act summary report. We are deeply disappointed that our feedback to the recent open consultation has been overlooked by the Department of Health and Aged Care.

We recently submitted our response to the open consultation on the scope of practice issues paper 2. Our submission highlights the vital role of visionary leadership, expertise, and effective communication in implementing primary healthcare reforms. It emphasises the necessity of strong government support and the importance of educating those affected to understand the implications of the changes.

The team tuned into a webinar by the NDIS provider and worker registration taskforce. The taskforce shared a promising and positive update on 'What we've heard so far,' giving a special shout-out to allied health professionals.

The NDIS Amendment Bill 2024 proposes significant changes that may impact how osteopaths deliver support to NDIS participants. It includes a new budget framework and collaborative input in funding allocation. Osteopaths should stay informed and prepare for the transition to the new framework.

The summary of the 2024-25 budget outlines impacts to allied health and osteopathy across the health, aged care and disability sectors.

Osteopathy Australia submitted feedback on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024, highlighting critical concerns regarding foundational supports, assessment processes, and the need for transparency and inclusivity in the legislative process.

On 8 May 2024, the team attended an in-person National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) community catch-up in Sydney. Bill Shorten, Minister for NDIS and Rebecca Faulkner, CEO of NDIS, attended the catch-up and answered various questions from the audience about the NDIS reforms.