NDIS client handbook

Your rights, our responsibilities, and how to give feedback — for clients of Newcastle Neuro Allied Health.

About this handbook

This handbook sets out your rights as a client of Newcastle Neuro Allied Health Pty Ltd, our commitment to support those rights, your responsibilities, and how to give feedback or make a complaint. We provide speech pathology services only to adults aged 18 and over.

Your rights

to be listened to and treated with respect
to be treated equitably, without exploitation, abuse, discrimination, harassment or neglect
to receive a reliable, coordinated, safe, quality service tailored to your assessed needs
to be supported in ways that respect your individual identity, including your gender, sexuality, culture, age and religious beliefs
to be helped to understand any information we give you, and to have all the information you need to make informed decisions
to take an active part in decisions, including developing and reviewing your Service Agreement and therapy plan
to take risks and make your own choices, with our support (see our Dignity of Risk and Duty of Care Policy)
to have information about you kept private — it will not be shared outside Newcastle Neuro Allied Health without your permission, except where the law requires it
to raise concerns and have them handled confidentially, promptly and respectfully
to involve a support person or advocate of your choice at any time

How you can help us

give us information that helps us develop and review your Service Agreement and supports
tell us if things change, or if you cannot keep an appointment
allow safe and reasonable access for our clinicians at the agreed times
treat our workers with respect, without abuse, discrimination or harassment
give us feedback about our service and how we can improve
take part in reviewing your Service Agreement and pay agreed fees promptly
tell us as early as possible if you no longer need our services

Individual needs

Language: we can arrange an interpreter through the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 13 14 50.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients: our workers complete cultural awareness training and will work with you to provide culturally safe services that respect your preferences.
Reading and writing: we will explain your Service Agreement, assessments and reviews in the way that suits you, including reading information aloud or helping you complete forms.
Dementia and other neurological conditions: we work in a sensitive, trauma-informed way and involve your family or carers in planning, with your consent.
Deaf clients or people with a hearing or speech impairment: we will agree a suitable way to communicate, and you can contact us through the National Relay Service (relayservice.gov.au).

Protection from harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation

You have the right to be free from harm and from any form of abuse, neglect or exploitation. We take every allegation seriously. Every worker must report suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation, under our Mandatory Reporting Policy and Client Incident Management Procedure. Where appropriate, we report to the NSW Ageing and Disability Commission (1800 628 221), in addition to any reportable incident notification to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, and to the police.

If you are worried about your safety or someone else's, please tell your clinician or contact the Director. Every worker holds a current NDIS Worker Screening Check.

Our responsibilities

We will:

always treat you with courtesy and respect, and communicate openly, honestly and promptly
listen to your feedback and resolve problems as quickly as possible
develop a therapy plan with you and give you a copy of your Service Agreement (and your guardian, representative or advocate, where applicable)
respect your right to choose the supports and activities you take part in, and consult you about any changes
provide agreed supports at times that suit you, and review your needs regularly
give you as much notice as possible if an appointment must be rescheduled, and notice if we need to end your Service Agreement
issue regular invoices and statements, and keep accurate records of the supports we provide
keep information about you private and confidential
provide supports in line with all relevant laws, including the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth)

Privacy and confidentiality

We only collect information needed to provide safe, effective services, explain why we are collecting it, and use it only for that purpose. We only take photos or videos with your full and voluntary consent. Information is only shared with your consent, in an emergency, or where the law requires or allows it. You can ask to see or correct the information we hold about you at any time. Our full Privacy Policy is on our website at newcastleneuro.com.au/privacy-policy, or ask us for a copy.

Use of artificial intelligence

We use the artificial intelligence (AI) features built into Splose, our secure client management system, to transcribe and summarise sessions, and to help draft descriptive sections of reports (such as background information) from information collected with you. A speech pathologist reviews and checks all AI-assisted content before it is finalised. AI is never used to make decisions about you, form clinical impressions, or write recommendations — these are always made and written by your speech pathologist. We only use AI in your sessions with your written consent, which you can withdraw at any time. Splose AI is powered by OpenAI under a zero data retention agreement, so your information is not kept by OpenAI or used to train AI models. We do not put your information into any other AI tool.

Feedback, compliments and complaints

We welcome all feedback — it helps us improve. You, your family or an advocate can give feedback or make a complaint by:

talking to your clinician or the Director
emailing speechpathology@newcastleneuro.com.au or phoning 0467 093 613
using the form on our website at newcastleneuro.com.au/feedback-and-complaints
completing a Feedback and Complaints Form

You do not have to give your name. We aim to acknowledge your complaint within 48 hours, respond within one week, and resolve it within 28 days in most cases, and we will confirm the outcome in writing. Making a complaint will never affect your services.

At any stage, you can also contact:

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission — 1800 035 544, ndiscommission.gov.au
NSW Ombudsman — (02) 9286 1000 or 1800 451 524 (toll free)
NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) — 1300 006 228
Anti-Discrimination NSW — 1800 670 812

Advocacy: an advocate can help you speak up, or speak on your behalf. To find a disability advocate, visit the National Disability Advocacy Program directory at dss.gov.au, or Disability Advocacy Network Australia at dana.org.au.

An easy read summary, Having Your Say and Staying Safe, is also available.

If something goes wrong

If an incident happens during your service, we make sure you are safe, tell the Director, find out what happened, fix the problem and let you know what we did. Serious incidents (such as death, serious injury, abuse, neglect, unlawful sexual or physical contact, sexual misconduct or an unauthorised restrictive practice) are reported to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission within 24 hours. An unauthorised restrictive practice that caused no harm is reported within 5 business days.

Cancellations and no-shows

Please give us at least 2 clear business days' notice if you need to cancel or reschedule. Clear business days do not include the day you contact us, the day of the appointment, weekends or public holidays.

In line with the NDIS Pricing Schedule and Support Catalogue, a short notice cancellation fee applies when a client cancels an appointment with less than 2 clear business days' notice, or is a 'no show' (is not at the appointment location at the agreed time).

The cancellation fee is 100% of the agreed fee for the appointment, claimed under the applicable cancellation line item (e.g. 15_622_0128_1_3_CA).
Where the clinician is already travelling to, or has arrived at, a home or community visit, provider travel may also be claimed under the applicable provider travel line item, at the NDIS travel rate, where NDIS pricing rules allow.
Newcastle Neuro Allied Health will make every attempt to fill the cancelled appointment time where possible to help avoid a cancellation fee being applied. However, this cannot be guaranteed.
There is no limit on the number of short notice cancellations (or no shows) that a provider can claim in respect of a participant.
Where the client fails, without notice, to keep an appointment, Newcastle Neuro Allied Health will make every effort to contact the client to determine if there is an additional problem (e.g. hospitalisation).
When a client repeatedly misses or cancels appointments, services may be ceased.
An SMS or email (as chosen by the client at commencement of services) will be sent 2 business days before an appointment to remind the client and to help avoid the cancellation fee. However, if an SMS is not received or read, it does not negate the cancellation policy.

Our full Cancellation and No Shows Policy is available on request.