We are transforming our digital systems to make your interactions with the NDIS Commission simpler and more efficient. Behind the scenes, we are introducing a new unified system to replace older technology which improves the way you engage with the Commission.
This new system allows us to centralise and modernise key functions into a single external provider portal, bringing together registrations, reportable incidents, and behaviour support plans (BSPs). This is part of an ongoing process of improvement as part of our overarching digital transformation program.
Welcome to the first look of the new NDIS Commission Provider Portal. We built this portal to help you apply for and manage your registrations, reportable incidents, and behaviour support plans. Each of these processes are presented in a way that guides you through the stages, with on-screen instructions and a guided flow.
Applications for Provider Registration are completed online in two parts. The first allows us to make an initial suitability assessment and the second part involves a more detailed assessment against the NDIS practice standards.
As an applicant, when you start a new registration application, you enter your ABN. The portal links to the Australian Business Register and enters some of the business information for you. When you add key personnel with their Worker ID, the portal automatically checks the NDIS Worker Screening Database and securely updates their screening status.
Once you submit part one 1 of your application, you'll be advised of the outcome of the initial assessment. You’ll then complete and submit part 2, providing additional service and self assessment details. At all times you’ll be able to see the status of your application. You can then use the scope of audit document to start the quality audit, nominating an approved quality auditor. You’ll be able to select an auditor directly from a drop-down list. The portal sends the Approved Quality Auditor a request, which they can review and accept, and then complete the audit.
The process to renew or re-register your business is simple. Your existing details, like your registration groups, are pre-filled. You just confirm they are correct, update any changes, and submit your re-registration application.
For reportable incidents, our forms change based on the options you choose. You can easily submit an incident report relating to your own supports and services or a third party. While you can save a draft report and come back to it later, it will expire after 30 days. And in draft form, it will not be visible to anyone other than yourself until submitted.
You get a clear dashboard to manage your behaviour support plans. You can easily lodge a new plan or complete monthly reporting on authorised restrictive practices. Implementing providers can upload a single authorisation document for all practices in a plan, and track when monthly reports are due.
So that’s a first look at the new Provider Portal experience. This new portal incorporates feedback from providers and is designed to better help you meet your obligations. You can access more information via the Provider Toolkit on the NDIS Commission website.
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What will be different for you as a provider?
The new portal introduces a range of smart features designed to save you time and provide a smoother experience:
- Pre-filled information: The portal is integrated with external databases like the Australian Business Register (ABR) and NDIS Worker Screening Database (NWSD) so we can pre-fill your legal name, addresses and key personnel worker screening status when provided with valid Australian Business Numbers (ABNs) or NWSD numbers.
- Dynamic, tailored forms: One-size-fits-all forms are gone. The new system dynamically adjusts the fields you are required to complete based on the answers you have already provided. For example, the questions you are asked when reporting a reportable incident will change depending on the specific category of the incident, meaning you only answer what is relevant.
- Draft saving: You will have the ability to click "Save for later" on your reports. Drafts will be saved securely in your portal for up to 30 days, allowing you to gather necessary information before submitting.
- Improved dashboards: You will have access to centralised dashboards where you can easily view your submitted reports, manage drafts, and see a list of due or overdue monthly reports for restrictive practices.
- Simplified behaviour support plan and authorisation uploads: Implementing providers will be able to manage their authorisation documents more easily, with the option to upload a single authorisation document that applies to all restrictive practices in a plan, rather than doing it one by one.
How will these changes benefit providers and participants?
We have used feedback from NDIS providers to inform the design of the new provider portal, so you can:
- be assured we’ve assessed matters consistently, which helps us respond sooner,
- resolve concerns directly with participants when we don’t need to be involved,
- have a better experience with us when we need you to respond to a concern about your service, and
- better safeguarding from harm for NDIS participants.
Improvements you will experience with the new provider portal include:
- Reducing administrative burden for providers: We heard from you that the previous forms were administratively heavy and that you often did not have the bandwidth to complete them easily. We also heard that free-text fields were confusing, as it was unclear exactly what information the Commission needed. To resolve this, we have replaced many free-text fields with clear, simple tick-boxes (such as identifying immediate safeguarding actions taken), which will make completing forms much faster and more straightforward.
- Streamlining third-party reports: Previously, reports about incidents involving other providers were not easy to lodge nor track. The new system features a dedicated third-party reporting form to capture this intelligence clearly and route it to the right place.
- Improving participant safety: The new forms make safety tracking a priority by building in mandatory check-ins, such as asking specifically if the participant is currently safe and in receipt of support directly following an incident. Furthermore, better data linking will track unauthorised restrictive practices and automatically alert you when a plan needs to be reviewed.
When will the changes be in place?
The new Provider Portal is expected to be available in the second half of 2026. It will replace the existing portal.
How will providers and participants be supported through this transition?
- Provider toolkit: The Commission website will have a dedicated area to host information designed to keep you informed as we approach the launch date. We will host webinars and provide Easy Read information and videos to help you understand the new experience.
- In-portal guidance: The new portal is built with helpful text, Frequently Asked Questions, and links to legislation directly on the screens. For example, before submitting a report, you will see guidance explaining what constitutes an unauthorised restrictive practice (URP) versus what should be reported as abuse or neglect.
- Self-service information on our website: The information published on our website for the existing portal will be replaced with new instructions that will help guide you through the new system.
- Direct help: The Contact Centre team will be available and equipped to assist you with any portal queries or troubleshooting if you get stuck.