High-intensity personal care

NDIS Core support

Personal care that needs additional skills or training, for example complex health needs where support workers are trained for specific tasks under a health professional’s guidance.

The short answer

High-intensity personal care involves tasks that need extra skills or training because of complex health needs or added risk. Workers are trained for specific tasks, often under a health professional's guidance.

About High-intensity personal care

Some personal care goes beyond everyday help with showering and dressing. Examples include supporting someone with a tracheostomy, managing certain types of feeding or bowel care, or responding to seizures. These tasks carry more risk if they are not done properly, so workers need specific training and, often, sign-off from a health professional.

Training is usually tailored to the person. A nurse or other health professional teaches the worker how to carry out the task for that individual, watches them do it and confirms they are competent. The worker follows a written plan, and there is a process for emergencies and for reviewing the plan when the person's health changes.

Because the stakes are higher, the provider you choose matters. Ask how they train and supervise workers, how they keep records and how they make sure a trained person is always available, including when your regular worker is away.

Who is this service for?

People whose personal care involves complex health needs or extra risk, so that workers need additional training for specific tasks.

What a typical session looks like

High-intensity personal care involves complex tasks that need particular training, such as help with breathing equipment, tube feeding, catheter care or managing seizures. The worker arrives having been trained in your specific routines, and carries them out to the standard set out in your plan or by your health professionals.

The work depends on precision and consistency. Workers follow a written care plan, record what they do and watch for changes in your health or comfort. Because the tasks carry real risk, the worker also knows what to do in an emergency, who to call and when to seek help.

Who delivers this support

Workers who deliver high-intensity supports need extra, specific training for each task, and that training usually comes from a nurse, allied health professional or the person who knows your routines. They must be assessed as competent before working on their own. Providers should be able to tell you what training their workers have, how they check competence and how often it is refreshed.

How to choose a provider

Questions to ask a provider

Common mistakes to avoid

Getting started

  1. Ask your health professional to write down the tasks and how they should be done.
  2. Share this with providers and ask how they will train staff.
  3. Agree who is trained and how backup is arranged.
  4. Set a date to review the plan and the training.

How it fits with the rest of your plan

High-intensity personal care usually works alongside health professionals such as your doctor, nurse and therapists, who define what needs to be done. It often overlaps with community nursing, medication assistance and equipment. Everyone who provides care needs the same up-to-date information, so keeping the care plan current and shared is a big part of doing it well.

Eligibility

You can use NDIS funding for High-intensity personal care if it is included in your NDIS plan. The NDIS funds supports that are reasonable and necessary: they relate to your disability, help you pursue your goals and represent value for money. Not sure whether it is in your plan? Check your plan, or ask your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.

Funding

Core supports help with everyday activities and are usually the most flexible part of an NDIS plan. If High-intensity personal care is in your plan, it is normally paid from a Core budget. Your plan shows how much you have and how it can be used. Many NDIS supports have price limits, so ask providers for a quote and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Whether your plan is managed by the NDIA, by a plan manager or by you, ask for a written quote and a service agreement before you start. If your plan is plan-managed or self-managed you can use providers who are not registered with the NDIS. If it is NDIA-managed you generally need a registered provider.

What it costs

Supports such as High-intensity personal care that are funded by the NDIS are paid at rates that follow the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, which the NDIA reviews regularly. Many items have a maximum price, and some prices are higher in remote areas. Before you start, ask for a written quote that lists each support, the hours and the price, and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits on the NDIS website. A provider may charge less than a limit. If you pay privately, the provider sets its own fees. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use providers who are not registered, and those providers set their own prices.

Personal care providers on the NDIS register

14,468 NDIS providers list personal care supports on the NDIS Commission register of registered providers. A register listing shows what the register says, not who has capacity.

Providers listing personal care

See all 14,468 personal care providers

Listings by state and territory

Suburbs with the most listings

Listings covering the most areas

Checking credentials

Regulation and safeguards

NDIS providers and their workers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, and registered providers are regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

Related services

Sources and further reading

Browse the NDIS and aged care provider directory

Helpful reading

All NDIS and aged care articles