December 2023

In this guest post, Scott Willis, the National President of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, responds to recent comments by NDIS Minister Bill Shorten MP about ‘price gouging’ by physiotherapy providers.

Joseph is a two and a half year old who was diagnosed with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) at birth, a rare and complex genetic disorder. He is now thriving with the support of his physiotherapist and therapy team, and has attained the majority of age-appropriate skills just-in-time to start pre-school this year.

The NDIS has made headlines on multiple fronts this month, including the latest unfair commentary this morning from NDIS Minister Bill Shorten MP raising unfounded concerns about ‘price gouging’ by physiotherapy providers. 

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Review report released yesterday has suggested 26 recommendations and 139 supporting actions for an improved Scheme. 

The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) welcomes the thorough work undertaken by the NDIS Review and commends the commitment to ensuring people with disability have access to quality physiotherapy and the supports they need, both within and outside the NDIS.

Ahead of the publication of the findings and recommendations of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Review, the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) reaffirms its commitment to an effective, equitable and fully funded NDIS. 

The APA also calls for broader reforms to ensure that all individuals with disabilities can access essential physiotherapy treatments and supports.

In the aftermath of an NDIS pricing review that overlooked an adjustment to Therapy Supports, the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) calls for an end to the inaccurate and damaging price-gouging rhetoric that continues to be unfairly pointed toward physiotherapy services and marring the real value that physiotherapy provides under the NDIS.