NDIS Rights: Consent, Privacy & Choice at Every Step

What “informed consent” means (plain-English)

Informed consent means you clearly understand what you’re agreeing to, you’re given information in a way you can understand, and you choose freely. In the NDIS, you should never feel pressured to sign, book, or go ahead with supports before you’ve had a chance to ask questions and think about it. You can agree to some parts and say no to others.

Before you consent, a provider should explain things like: what support will be provided, why it’s needed, the risks and benefits, how it will be delivered, and any alternatives (including the option to do something differently or not have the support at all). If you have communication needs, you can ask for easier wording, more time, a support person, or documents in accessible formats. Consent also needs to be ongoing—if something changes, you may need to re-consent.

If you’re using plan management, your funding and billing should be transparent. For example, with MyMoney NDIS (www.planmanager.net.au), you can often get clearer information about how supports are claimed. Informed consent still applies—plan management doesn’t remove your right to decide what supports you receive. If a support involves personal information (like health notes), privacy requirements must be followed too.

Key takeaway: Consent must be informed, voluntary, and ongoing—if you don’t understand or you don’t agree, you have the right to ask questions and say “not yet” or “no”.

It can help to compare providers before you commit. At My Care Finders, you can look at different options so you can ask better questions about how they seek consent, respect your choices, and handle your information. If you ever feel stuck, you can ask for the provider’s consent process in writing, request a different worker, or speak up about any boundary you’re not comfortable with.