Rural Victorian service provider responses to the National Disability Insurance Scheme

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has transformed the nature of funding available to health and human service organisations to provide services to people with disability in Australia. However, there is relatively scant literature on the rural implementation of the NDIS, particularly how rural NDIS service providers are affected by the NDIS. Researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 health professionals employed by rural providers, and analysed data using rural and remote health and organisational change frameworks to understand how rural providers were impacted by and responded to the NDIS. The findings suggest rural providers were impacted to differing extents and responded to the NDIS in different ways. Participants reported that disability and community health services were affected more than hospitals and private allied health practices. Impacted rural providers responded by changing the nature and types of services, service processes and their workforce, and redefining organisational characteristics. Impacted rural providers may require additional support to continue providing services, and those less impacted may require other incentives to better engage with the NDIS. Rural proofing of NDIS policy could reveal suitable supports and incentives to ensure rural people with disability can access required services.