Q1. What are the system requirements to use the NDIS Provider Toolkit?
A: The NDIS Provider Toolkit requires a modern web browser. To view support resources, such as user guides, and reports in PDF format, a PDF reader (such as Adobe Acrobat Reader) is required. To view reports in CSV format, Microsoft Excel is required.
Q2. How and when do we submit data?
HOW: Data can be submitted for the Self-Assessment and the Key Financial Ratios.
WHEN: The data entry periods will be announced.
Q3. Are we able to see the benchmark figures after we enter the data in the surveys?
A: No. You will be presented with indicative results against prior year pool data to assist with validation; however the benchmark reports with full results will be available once the data entry period has closed and the data validated by NDS. Results will only be made available for benchmarks that meet the minimum pool size to ensure individual organisations cannot be identified. You will be notified when benchmark results are released.
Q4. We are an organisation with multiple departments. Can we complete the Self-Assessment for each department?
A: No, the Self-Assessment is designed on the basis that there should be one response across the organisation, as clients are unlikely to be concerned with internal structures. In determining the rating, apply the ‘you are as strong as your weakest link’ principle. For example, if you have four departments which are at Levels 2, 3, 3 and 4 respectively, then the rating for the organisation as a whole is Level 2.
Q5. Who should use the Toolkit
A. The toolkit is geared to organisations whose primary business is disability, but is also applicable to multi-service providers where disability is just one of their business.
The toolkit aims to be applicable to providers of all sizes, from micro organisations to very large organisations. Where universality was not possible, the toolkit was written thinking more of small and medium-sized providers.
The toolkit is primarily concerned with assisting organisations to be NDIS-ready, and to help you understand your current capacity for change, the areas your organisation should focus on to succeed under the NDIS. The toolkit can be used to provide valuable intelligence for any organisation that will operate in a NDIS environment.
Q6. Can more than one person from the organisation register/login to the site
A. No. Only one person per organisation can log in under that organisation.
Q7. Does the Toolkit have to be completed in one sitting
A. No. We recommend that you download the paper version of the toolkit and familiarise yourself with the requirements.
A. Once you have log in you have the option of completing the self-assessment in Draft format and return to it at any time and selecting ‘Update Workflow’ to update. Once you are completed the self-assessment you can switch to ‘Benchmark’ and submit the assessment.
Q8. How much time will it take to complete the Toolkit?
A. The Toolkit is divided into three sections:
Section 1: About Your Organisation – this is part of the registration process, and will take you approximately 10mintes to complete assuming you have the information available. You can go back to this section by clicking the “My Account’ on the bottom of each page.
Section 2: The Self-Assessment tool: The self-assessment section is structured around the Seven Key Questions (link to Page) and will take one person 1 to 4 hours to complete, depending on the complexity of your services and your existing preparation. If the tool is completed as a group, allocate between 3 and 6 hours. (NOTE:in phase 1 paper toolkit, it talks about the seven key questions and the self-assessment tool as being separate. Unless I’m missing something, the 7 key questions provide the structure for the self-assessment tool.)
Section 3: The Key Financial Ratios: Completing these ratios should take one person no more than 30 minutes. Depending on your results, group discussion of the implications of your results could take an hour or more.
Q9. What resources are available?
A. To assist you a series of resources have been developed. These can be accessed from a navigation pane on the bottom of the screen titled ‘resources’. Resources include :
- Webinars covering the various sections of the toolkit.
- Paper versions of the toolkit
- Various tools that can be downloaded
In addition, a section titled “Reference Guides’ provides a library of information about the toolkit and the disability sector.
Q10. Why Benchmark
A. NDS will be providing all responding providers with access to their own benchmark report based on their Self-Assessment results. The reporting function allows you to compare your organisation’s response to the average result for others that respond, for the category of reporting you select. This will help you interpret the results for your organisation, highlighting areas of strength and areas for improvement.
Q11. I have registered on a previous version of the Toolkit, do I have to register again?
A. No. If you have previously registered you DO NOT need to register again. Your Login details will remain active.