Last week, the AASW participated in a workshop in Geelong as part of the NDIS’s pricing reforms consultation. The workshop focused on reviewing existing pricing approaches and developing a pricing data strategy. Discussions centred around the principles that should guide a new framework for setting prices.

During the consultation, the AASW emphasised the need for:

1) NDIS to fund all components necessary for delivering high-quality services to ensure the maintenance of a skilled workforce
2) Pay parity for allied health professionals delivering identical services
3) Fee schedule to reflect the costs associated with being a registered provider.

These reforms are essential to ensure that social workers achieve pay parity with other allied health professions and that NDIS fees should be set in a standardised, fair and transparent way.