Nursing and health supports at home: where the NDIS fits
· Everyday supports · Source checked 12 October 2026
The NDIS funds supports related to disability, while the health system covers other care. Here is how to make sense of the boundary and what to ask a nurse or provider.
Two systems, one person
The NDIS funds supports that are related to a person’s disability. Health care, such as treatment of illness and injury, is generally the responsibility of the health system, including GPs, hospitals and public health services. Some needs sit between the two, and the boundary is not always obvious.
If a service is declined as a health responsibility, ask which system is expected to provide it and who you should speak to. A support coordinator can often help work out the answer.
Where nursing may come in
Some plans include nursing support for needs that arise from a disability, for example help with continence, wound care, or other ongoing health tasks that cannot safely be done without clinical skills. Whether yours does depends on your needs and what the NDIA has decided is reasonable and necessary.
Who should deliver it
Clinical tasks should be done by someone with the right qualifications. Ask whether the nurse is registered with the national regulator, what experience they have with your needs and what training other workers have for any tasks delegated to them.
Ask how medication, health information and changes in condition are recorded and shared with your GP or specialists, so care is consistent across everyone involved.
Questions to ask before you start
Ask how often the nurse will visit, what happens if there is an emergency and who you should call out of hours. Ask how the service will be charged, whether travel or after-hours rates apply and how those will appear on invoices.
Keep your GP informed about the supports you use. This is general information, not medical or plan advice; speak to your health professionals and your plan manager or support coordinator about your own situation.
When your needs change
Health needs can change after an illness, injury or hospital stay, and that can affect the supports you need. Keep letters or reports from your doctors and nurses that describe the change, and share them with your support coordinator or the NDIA when you ask about a change to your plan.
If a hospital stay is planned, ask the hospital and your support coordinator early about arrangements for coming home, so supports are in place before discharge rather than arranged in a rush.
Frequently asked questions
Does the NDIS pay for nursing at home?
The NDIS funds supports that are related to a person’s disability, while health care such as treatment of illness and injury is generally the responsibility of the health system. Some plans include nursing support for needs that arise from a disability, for example help with continence, wound care or other ongoing health tasks that cannot safely be done without clinical skills. Whether yours does depends on your needs and what the NDIA has decided is reasonable and necessary.
What if a service is declined as a health responsibility?
Ask which system is expected to provide it and who you should speak to. A support coordinator can often help work out the answer.
What should I ask a nursing provider?
Ask whether the nurse is registered with the national regulator and what experience they have with your needs. Ask how often they will visit, what happens in an emergency and who to call out of hours, and how the service will be charged, including travel or after-hours rates.
Keep learning
- NDIS jargon explained: the terms you will hear and what they mean: Plans, supports, coordinators, managers, registered providers: a plain-language glossary of the words that come up most often.
- NDIS or My Aged Care: which system supports you?: Two government systems support people with disability and older people. Here is how to think about which one applies and what to do if you are not sure.
- Keeping records of your NDIS supports: a simple system: Good records make plan reviews, claim queries and changes of provider far easier. Here is a light-touch way to keep them.
- Nominees and supporters: helping someone with their NDIS plan: Family and friends often help with the NDIS. Here is the difference between informal support and a formal nominee, and how to keep the person at the centre.
More in our NDIS updates and insights, our step-by-step guides, or the NDIS and aged care provider directory.
Official sources
Source checked 12 October 2026. Rules and guidance can change; verify current details with the responsible agency. How we write and check our guides.