NDIS independent assessment scheme slammed over lack of transparency

Having since been subjected to an NDIS assessment by someone without prior knowledge of her health concerns, the 21-year-old has had trouble leaving the house.

Miss Marsham's story is just one being heard at parliament as part of a review into the potential impact of a piloted NDIS independent assessment program on the ACT's disability community.

Miss Marsham has a complex neurological condition which has wide-ranging implications, including her capacity to "exist peacefully and productively".

According to Miss Marsham, the NDIS therapist appointed to asses her needs indicated her psychiatric-assistance dog Zuri should no longer be funded.

"Since the check in meeting I have ceased going out to places or letting Zuli outside in case someone takes her away," her mum Monica read on behalf of a tearful Molly.

Miss Marsham was one of a group of Canberrans who gave evidence for the need to scrap the NDIS proposed independent assessment program.

"How is this person more qualified than my treating psychologist?" Miss Marsham asked.

Representatives from all sectors of the ACT's disability community provided evidence to the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS, ahead of a proposal to introduce independent assessors who would use a questionnaire to categorise people's needs and level of funding.

The program, being trialled across Australia despite calls to shut it down, has been widely criticised as a cost-cutting exercise which would dehumanise the support-provision process.

ACT Disability Minister Emma Davidson disputed the federal government's assessment the NDIS' current model was unsustainable.

She said the projected cost of the NDIS in 2024-2025 was not very different to the 2017 estimates.

Despite the ACT contributing $800 million to NDIS annually, Ms Davidson claimed there was a lack of transparency from the federal government regarding the costs.

"As a key shareholder of the scheme I have not seen detailed financial statements from the Commonwealth," Ms Davidson said.

Ms Davidson said independent assessments proposed one of the most profound changes to the NDIS since it was introduced and despite having raised concerns with her federal counterparts they had not been addressed.

"Federal government appears to be making decisions about the future of how we assess eligibility and set individual plans for the NDIS based on the use of checklists and algorithms, but we don't fully understand the risks that are involved if those algorithms are wrong."

"I am deeply disturbed that there has been a lack of consultation with people with disability and the way that, as many people with disability have said, these changes undermine choice and control," she said.

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Advocacy for Inclusion presented evidence in their submission that similar changes to national disability schemes in the United Kingdom had resulted in an increased risk of suicide.

According to the submission, an extra 590 people had died by suicide in the UK between 2010-2013.

"Our concern is that we could be heading in that direction given the distress many people are expressing at the idea of independent assessment," spokesperson Stacy Rheese said.

Jeffrey Smart volunteered to take part in the trial out of curiosity and because he believed he had the "capacity and resilience to look after myself".

"I was wrong," Mr Smart said on Thursday.

Fighting back tears as he read his submission, the Parkinson's Disease sufferer said the independent assessment was inaccurate, incomplete and irrelevant.

"My assessor was a clinical psychologist whose understanding of Parkinson's and its implications were very limited," he said.

"I was offended and felt belittled, not only were the questions irrelevant but I struggle to comprehend where the assessor was going and was not being asked questions which would assess what my actual impairments are.

"Participating in the pilot has left me flat and feeling dejected. I am anxious, angry, disappointed and very tired."

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