Allied Health and the NDIS: a plain-English guide for participants

Allied health services are some of the most commonly funded supports in an NDIS plan, and for good reason. Occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, psychology and dietetics can all make a real difference to daily life, independence and wellbeing. If your plan includes a Capacity Building budget or an Improved Daily Living budget line, there is a good chance allied health is already funded for you. This guide explains what allied health means under the NDIS, who can pay for it, how to pick a good provider, and what to watch out for along the way.

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What is allied health under the NDIS?

Allied health is a broad term for health professions that are not medicine or nursing. Under the NDIS, the most commonly funded allied health disciplines include:

• Occupational therapy (OT) - helps you build skills and adapt your environment so you can do everyday tasks more independently.
• Physiotherapy - supports mobility, strength, pain management and physical function.
• Speech pathology - covers communication, language development, and swallowing difficulties.
• Psychology and behaviour support - supports mental health, emotional regulation and behaviour management.
• Dietetics and nutrition - relevant where a disability directly affects your ability to eat or manage your nutrition.
• Exercise physiology - uses structured exercise to improve function and manage the physical effects of a disability.
• Podiatry - foot and lower limb care, particularly where mobility or sensation is affected.

The key point is that the NDIS funds allied health when it is reasonable and necessary and when it relates directly to your disability. A therapy that would benefit anyone in the general population, regardless of disability, is unlikely to be funded by the NDIS. Your planner or support coordinator can help you work out what sits within scope.

If you are new to navigating these decisions, the participant guide on OpenWay is a helpful starting point for understanding how the marketplace connects you with allied health and other disability service providers across Australia.

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How does NDIS funding cover allied health?

Which budget pays for it?

Allied health is most commonly funded under the Capacity Building support budget, specifically the Improved Daily Living category (support category 15). This is the category designed to fund assessments, therapies and training that build your skills and independence over time.

In some cases, allied health may also appear under:

• Improved Health and Wellbeing (support category 12) - for exercise physiology and dietetics where the connection to your disability is clear.
• Improved Living Arrangements (support category 9) - where an OT assessment is tied to a home modification or supported living decision.
• Support Coordination (support category 7) - your support coordinator may help you find and shortlist allied health providers, but the therapy itself is funded separately.

Self-managed, plan-managed or agency-managed?

How your plan is managed affects which providers you can use.

1. Agency-managed (NDIA-managed): You can only use providers who are registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. This limits your options but adds a layer of formal oversight.
2. Plan-managed: A plan manager pays providers on your behalf. You can use both registered and unregistered providers, which gives you more choice.
3. Self-managed: You pay providers directly and claim reimbursement. You have the widest choice, but you take on more responsibility for record-keeping and checking that providers are suitable.

Regardless of how your plan is managed, all providers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct. The NDIS Commission sets out those obligations clearly and providers who breach them can face serious consequences.

What does it actually cost?

Prices for NDIS-funded allied health are governed by the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (previously called the Support Catalogue). These set the maximum hourly rate a registered provider can charge for each support type. Unregistered providers are not bound by these price limits, so if you are plan-managed or self-managed, it is worth asking any unregistered provider to confirm their rates in writing before you commit.

Travel time, cancellation fees and non-face-to-face charges (such as report writing) are all permissible under the Pricing Arrangements, but the rules around them are specific. Always confirm these details in your service agreement before services begin.

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How to choose an allied health provider

Choosing the right allied health provider takes a bit of research, but the effort is worth it. Here is a practical checklist to work through.

Step 1 - Clarify what you actually need

Before you start searching, be clear on:

• Which discipline you need (OT, physio, speech pathology, etc.)
• Whether you need an assessment, ongoing therapy, or both
• Your preferred location (clinic-based, home visits, telehealth, or a mix)
• Any communication or accessibility requirements you have

Step 2 - Check registration and qualifications

For agency-managed participants, registration with the NDIS Commission is mandatory. For plan-managed or self-managed participants, registration is optional but worth considering. You can check a provider's registration status on the NDIS Commission website.

Beyond NDIS registration, allied health professionals must be registered with their relevant professional body:

• OTs with Occupational Therapy Australia
• Physiotherapists with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• Speech pathologists with Speech Pathology Australia
• Psychologists with AHPRA
• Exercise physiologists with Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA)

Checking these registrations takes five minutes and gives you genuine peace of mind.

Step 3 - Ask the right questions

When you make an initial enquiry, good providers will welcome questions. Consider asking:

• Do you have experience working with my specific disability or condition?
• What does a typical session look like, and how will you measure progress?
• How do you involve me (and my family or carers) in setting goals?
• What are your cancellation and rescheduling policies?
• Will you provide written reports, and is that included in your rate or charged separately?

A provider who is evasive, dismissive or unable to answer these questions clearly is worth treating with caution.

Step 4 - Read the service agreement carefully

A service agreement is a legal document. It should set out the supports to be provided, the price (including travel and non-face-to-face charges), the cancellation policy, and how either party can end the arrangement. Never start receiving services without a signed service agreement in place.

Support coordinators can be invaluable at this stage. If your plan includes support coordination, your coordinator can help you shortlist providers, compare options and review service agreement terms. The support coordinator tools on OpenWay are designed to make this shortlisting and comparison process easier.

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What does good allied health practice look like?

Good allied health providers working with NDIS participants share some common qualities. They:

• Set goals collaboratively with you, not just for you
• Explain what they are doing and why, in plain language
• Adjust their approach based on your feedback and progress
• Provide timely, clear reports that support your NDIS reviews
• Respect your choices, including the right to change providers
• Are transparent about costs from the start

Progress does not always look the same week to week, and good therapists will acknowledge that. What matters is that your goals are being worked toward, that you feel heard, and that the support is genuinely connected to your disability-related needs.

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Red flags to watch for

Not every provider lives up to the standard participants deserve. Here are some warning signs worth taking seriously.

• Vague or no service agreement. Any provider who is reluctant to put the terms in writing is a red flag.
• Pressure to book a large block of sessions upfront. You should be able to start with a small number of sessions and review before committing to more.
• Claiming to be NDIS-registered when they are not. You can verify registration status on the NDIS Commission website. Misrepresenting registration status is a serious breach.
• No clear qualifications or professional registration. Ask directly and verify independently.
• Billing for supports that were not delivered. If your statements or invoices do not match what actually happened, raise it immediately with your plan manager or the NDIA.
• Making promises about outcomes. No ethical provider can guarantee specific results. Be wary of anyone who does.
• Discouraging you from involving family, carers or your support coordinator. A good provider welcomes your support network.

If something feels wrong, trust that instinct. You can raise concerns with the NDIS Commission through their complaints process. OpenWay's trust and safety information explains how provider verification works on the platform and what to do if you have a concern about a listed provider.

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Making the most of your allied health supports

Once you have chosen a provider and started therapy, there are a few things you can do to get the most out of it.

• Be honest about what is and is not working. Therapists can only adjust their approach if they know how things are going for you.
• Keep notes between sessions. Writing down observations, questions or goals between appointments helps you use session time well.
• Involve your support network where appropriate. Family members and carers who understand your therapy goals can reinforce skills in everyday settings.
• Track your progress against your NDIS goals. Allied health providers should be supporting your plan goals, not just delivering generic therapy. If the connection is unclear, ask your provider to explain it.
• Plan for your next NDIS review. Reports from allied health providers are often central to plan reviews. Ask your provider early about what documentation they can provide, and whether report-writing fees are included in their rate.

You can browse allied health providers across Australia on OpenWay to compare profiles, check experience areas, and send enquiries directly.

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Frequently asked

Can I use Medicare and the NDIS for the same allied health service?

Generally, no. The NDIS and Medicare cannot fund the same support at the same time. If a support is funded by the NDIS, you should be claiming through your NDIS plan, not through Medicare. There are some limited exceptions, particularly around mental health supports, but the general rule is that you cannot double-dip. Speak to your planner or support coordinator if you are unsure which scheme should cover a particular service.

What if my allied health provider says they are not registered with the NDIS - can I still use them?

It depends on how your plan is managed. If your plan is agency-managed (NDIA-managed), you must use registered providers. If you are plan-managed or self-managed, you can use unregistered providers, but you should still check their professional registration with the relevant body (such as AHPRA or Speech Pathology Australia) and make sure you have a clear service agreement. Being unregistered with the NDIS Commission does not mean a provider is unqualified, but it does mean less formal oversight applies.

How do I know if an allied health support is actually funded in my plan?

Check your plan's support budget categories. Allied health is most commonly funded under Improved Daily Living (support category 15). If you are unsure, your LAC (Local Area Coordinator), support coordinator or plan manager can help you read your plan and identify what is available. You can also contact the NDIA directly to ask about your plan's budget lines.

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How OpenWay can help

Finding the right allied health provider can feel overwhelming, especially when you are also managing everything else that comes with an NDIS plan. OpenWay is a free-to-use marketplace for NDIS participants, families and support coordinators to browse and compare disability service providers across Australia.

You can browse allied health providers on OpenWay, filter by location and service type, read provider profiles, and send enquiries directly. There is no cost to participants or families to use the platform, and no obligation to engage any provider you contact.

If you are a support coordinator, the OpenWay coordinator workspace is designed to help you shortlist options, share provider profiles with participants, and manage enquiries across your caseload more efficiently.

OpenWay is not part of the NDIS, NDIA or NDIS Commission. Final scope, pricing, travel, cancellation rules and non-face-to-face charges must be confirmed in a written service agreement between the participant (or their authorised support person) and the provider.