Speak Out October 2020 DIGITAL EDITION FINAL

Emma Necus administration aspect. The Audit process made me look at every aspect of the business, both clinical and administrative. We were able to determine the weakness in the business and address them before they became an issue. It has also given me more confidence in the “business” aspect of having a private practic . Our auditor focused a lot on risks. The policies and procedures we put in place for this we were able to implement at the beginning of the COVID period. This meant we were able to move all clinicians to telehealth and we were able to working at 90% capacity within 3 days of the shutdown starting so it didn’t really impact us at all” What will I need to prepare? You will need to meet the relevant standards, depending on if you are doing a verification level audit (for therapeutic supports for over 7s) or a certification level audit (for higher risk groups such as early childhood supports or specialist behaviour supports). The Commission is clear that providers do not need to employ another company to assist them with their audit, but members can choose to do this if they wish. Childhood Early Intervention Supports group and we wanted to make sure that we continued to be able to provide services for our families, especially those who self or plan management would not be a great fit for…while the auditing process was stressful and daunting at times, it was also something incredibly positive for us and the practice. Preparing for and completing the audit helped us to identify and fix some gaps in our Policies and Procedures, and take a more serious look at how we manage risks, not only to clients, but to the business itself.” FQD : “The main reason we did that was because we wanted to maintain consistency with our current caseload. At that stage the vast majority of our clients were NDIS managed and we were concerned that if we did not complete certification we would not be able to continue seeing them, and this was not ideal for the clients. We also wanted to make sure that going forward we did not limit who we were able to see.” What were some unexpected benefits of being audited? HS: “It helped me to ensure that I had robust policies and had considered critical elements of implementing a quality service.” RM: “We've always strived to provide a high standard of service, but the audit process helped us to see where we could improve and also formalise some things we were doing informally as a tiny practice. Now that these pieces are in place, I feel it gives us a really great foundation to continue to do our work to this high standard as we grow in the future.” FQD: “Being a clinician and not a business person, prior to the audit the majority of my focus had been on clinical issues and I hadn’t put as much focus on the business

There are a range of resources free for members to access, including some templates particularly regarding verification on the NDIS page of the SPA website. Allied Health Professions Australia also has a suite of resources covering both the verification and certification pathways www. ndisregistrationsupport.ahpa.com.au/pathways Members discuss what resources they found helpful: RM: “The NDIS resources on the SPA website were really helpful to get us started in our preparation.” HS: “All of the Speech Pathology Australia resources were great as was National Office when I called with questions. The NDIS Practice Standards: Verification Module - Required Documentation was also really helpful.” FQD: “After the stage 1 Audit we received a report that indicated areas we were missing. Take the time to go through that and address whatever has been highlighted. You need to show that them you are organised and are taking the process seriously. We had an example for each of the targeted line items ready to present on the day.” How do I arrange an auditor? You must choose an auditor from the list of approved auditors on the Commission website. What are some tips for choosing an auditor? HS: “Ask what their process is if any issues are identified, and will it cost more if things need to be amended? What's their timeframe for completing the work? How will they correspond with you? How much experience do they have working with businesses that are a similar structure to yours? The way the business responds will help you to figure out if they're the best fit for you.” RM: “Members should ask what kind of support an auditor is able to provide them as they prepare for each stage. Finding an auditor who has resources available to you or someone you can ask questions is helpful and shows their commitment to your success.” FQD: “What their time lines are between first and second stage, how many auditors will be involved in the process, how they give feedback after each stage, would they like to interview staff or can the management team be the only ones involved? What they expect on the day, in terms of space for auditors, and any specific requirements, if any issues are found with [the] process how much time do they give [you] to rectify the problem before the report is sent to commission, will they notify you when you get approval from the commission.” What is auditing like? What can members expect? The Association has produced a range of webisodes regarding auditing that you can access on the Learning Hub under the NDIS tab of the Webisodes section. The Commission is clear that auditing is not meant to be a punitive process, and providers will be given time and opportunity to improve practices to meet the standards if they are not met initially.

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Speak Out | October 2020