The NDIS have released refreshed operational guidelines for ‘Appointing a nominee’.
The refreshed guidelines provide:
- Consistency and transparency about how the NDIS make nominee decisions.
- Clear explanation of nominee roles and responsibilities
- Clear outline of the nominee’s role to improve the participant’s capacity to make their own decisions
- Information about when the NDIS decide to appoint a nominee, agency-initiated appointments.
If you’re over 18, you have the right to make decisions about your dealings with the NDIS. The NDIS will always start with the principle that you can make decisions for yourself however making decisions can sometimes be hard. They will check with you to see if you’re ok making decisions independently and if you’re not, they will determine if you can make decisions with support. If you’re younger than 18, you can be supported by a child representative.
If you’re not able to make decisions, even with support, the NDIS will explore who else may be able to make decisions and do things on your behalf. This is called representative decision-making and this person is called a nominee. A nominee is a voluntary role and they don’t get paid.
The responsibilities of a nominee include:
- making decisions about your dealings with the NDIS and doing things on your behalf
- listening to your wishes and doing things that support your personal and social wellbeing
- helping you learn how to make your own decisions.
A nominee will only be appointed for you if it’s the only option available to make decisions about your dealings with the NDIS.
There are some decisions you need to make, such as your goals and which service providers you want to use. There are some decisions the NDIS need to make to support you to do this. For example, they make decisions about which supports will be funded in your plan and whether to appoint or suspend a nominee.
To read the ‘appointing a nominee’ guidelines in full, please click here.
