Which wound and pressure care related products are covered by the NDIS?
From 1 October 2019, the NDIS now includes more health supports that are related to your disability. This means the NDIS will now pay for health supports such as wound and pressure care because some people have wounds or are at risk of getting one.Wound and pressure care supports include:
● Development of a care plan by a suitably qualified and competent clinician.
● Wound care and pressure care (including pressure injury management) by an NDIS-funded, suitably qualified and competent worker.
● Training of support workers/families in prevention of pressure areas and wounds. Wound care and pressure care consumables (e.g. dressings, gauze, bandages, tape, lymphoedema garments and pressure wraps).
● Provision of assistive technology as required due to a participant’s disability, to prevent pressure areas/wounds occurring.
● Devices to help manage lymphoedema as well as assistance with the use of the equipment and the training of an NDIS-funded suitably qualified and competent worker to use the machine. For more information on all disability-related health supports visit: https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/supports-funded-ndis/disability-related-health-supports
Who is likely to need wound and pressure care supports?
People with disabilities that cause immobility, poor circulation and incontinence are at higher risk of skin breaking down and developing a chronic wound (a wound that takes longer to heal). People that have diabetes, heart diseases, obesity and kidney disease are also at greater risk of chronic wounds. It is very important that skin is kept as healthy as possible to avoid chronic wounds such as skin tears, pressure injuries (sores) or leg ulcers.
Am I eligible for wound and pressure care supports?
To use these health supports, you must be using the NDIS.The supports must be reasonable and necessary - this means the support should:
● Be about your disability
● Be good value for money
● Work well and help make your life better
There are some other important rules. The supports must be about a health problem that is:
● Significant – it has a big impact on your life
● Permanent – it will last your whole life
● Ongoing – you must need constant support
The NDIS is the best way to get and use these supports. If you are using the NDIS, health supports will be discussed in your plan review.
You can ask for a plan review by contacting:
● The NDIS contact centre
● Your Local Area Coordinator (LAC)
● Your NDIS/NDIA planner
How can I add wound and pressure care support to my NDIS plan?
If you have an NDIS plan you can use any part of your unspent core support budget in your NDIS plan to buy disability related health supports (with the exception of the assistive technology valued over $1500). If your plan is being reviewed you can ask for these supports to be included in your future plans. This will give you budget to access: ● Consumables: the wound & pressure care items you need to use every day (e.g. dressings, gauze, bandages, tape, lymphoedema garments and pressure wraps)
● Assistance: getting support from a qualified nurse to help you manage your wound and or pressure care needs
● Assistive technology: devices and equipment to help you manage your health
Do I need a wound assessment?
An accurate wound assessment by a qualified professional should be carried out before planning appropriate care. Different types of wounds require different types of wound care, it is important that you ask for a wound care assessment and care plan from a suitably qualified and competent clinician. You can find many nursing providers in the NDIS website that can provide you this service, they are often able to visit you at home. Always speak to your healthcare professional about the type of woundcare best suited for you.
To find a registered provider visit:
https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/working-providers/find-registered-provider