Community mental health staff perspectives of the impacts of transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) on consumers, carers and workforce in Victoria

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a landmark transformation of Australian Government policy. It has been designed to offer more choice and control. Never before has disability policy included mental health (termed ‘psychosocial disability’). This article explores, from the perspective of mental health support staff, the impact of the transition to the NDIS. A survey was sent to all staff of a leading community mental health provider in one state of Australia who were supporting consumers to transition to the NDIS from both state-funded and federally-funded programs. A 13-item questionnaire was developed through a consultation process with staff from the state funded service. It was found that job insecurity, increased workplace stress, changing roles and less scope for recovery-oriented work in a disability model, effected staff wellbeing during the transition to NDIS. Three quarters of the respondents stated that difficult processes, lack of appropriate support, or its reduction, caused increased anxiety and stress in consumers. Further, two thirds of respondents stated that lack of carer information and support created confusion and anxiety for carers. The conclusions drawn were that mental health services faced challenges to continue working from a trauma-informed practice model in the unstable and changing environment of transition to NDIS. Staff believed that consumers, carers, and they themselves, were directly affected and were experiencing high levels of stress and dissatisfaction with service changes due to a complex, bureaucratic and inconsistent process that occurred during the transition.