NDIS Rights: Consent, Privacy & Choice (Practical Guide)

Consent: your right to say yes, no or change your mind

In the NDIS, you have the right to decide what supports you receive and how they’re delivered. This is about consent: you should only be involved in an activity, assessment, or personal care if you agree. Consent must be informed (you understand what’s happening and why), voluntary (no pressure or threats), and current (it can be changed at any time). If something feels confusing, unsafe, or not what you expected, you can say no or ask for more information before you agree.

You can also change your mind later. For example, you might say yes to a support worker’s visit, then decide halfway through that you don’t want a particular task or discussion. You can request a different approach, ask for another staff member, or pause the support. Good providers will respect your choices and explain any impact clearly, including how to update plans or goals where needed. If you’re using plan management, ask how decisions about supports are recorded and paid for—tools like MyMoney NDIS (www.planmanager.net.au) can help you understand provider invoices and transactions.

When you consent, it doesn’t mean you give up your rights. You still control things like sharing information, collecting photos, writing reports, or discussing your health details with family or other providers. Before any sharing happens, ask: Who will see my information? Why do they need it? and Can I limit what’s shared? If you want to compare options, My Care Finders can help you look at providers and check whether they support your choice and control in a practical way.

Key takeaway: Your consent is your right—if you don’t understand, feel pressured, or change your mind, you can pause or refuse support.

• Ask for clarity: What is being done, how, and what the outcome should be.
• Say what you want: Agree to parts of a service, set boundaries, or request a different worker.
• Document your choice: If needed, note your consent decisions and any limits so they’re respected next time.
• Use supports: You can have an advocate, family member, or interpreter (where appropriate) to help you make decisions.