“Emma, you have been a NDIS participant from the onset of the scheme, so you would’ve experienced firsthand the recent changes. How do you feel it has impacted the therapeutic alliance from a participant’s perspective?”
I have definitely experienced this significantly shifting overtime. Whereas initially, I had so much more time and space to build that relationship. But recently, due to funding cuts to my plan, I certainly spend less face-to-face time with them. I also find that there is a lot more pressure on my therapists to provide evidence of the necessary and reasonable supports that I need. I do feel I need their support to obtain a lot of my needs and at times it feels quite demanding. As the criteria seems even more rigid overtime, I need them to help advocate for a certain bit of equipment or support. And I now find that I’m needing to either wait or self-fund it.
I confess to feeling resentful at times, knowing how the certain support would really help me in my day but having to wait. However, the mutual understanding – then knowing my frustrations and me knowing the HUGE pressure, really helps. Even knowing what she is doing outside our face to face contact definitely helps.
I know several people who have not had this explained to them and see the big withdrawal from their funds. They rarely see the therapist & feel they have been jibbed. The education aspect is so vital to keep that TA intact. If the clinician explains the extent of what they need to do after an assessment or session, the transparency is there.
My OT has also at times recently done FaceTime sessions with my support worker, has sent me instructions on what needs measuring or links as what options I have. This gives me confidence that she’s still working with me in the background and gives me that autonomy and agency to be proactive.
Despite the long wait times for my complex modifications to be approved, she has informed me about interim things I can do and what she’s doing to help speed up the process. It makes me feel proactive and not reactive to my situation. Certainly, corresponding with my other supports, whether it’s briefing my handyman about installing a rail, chatting to my SC or instructing my Support Workers also significant enhances my experience and keeps the TA intact.