Media release

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) has commenced civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia against Lifestyle Solutions (Aust) Ltd (Lifestyle Solutions) and one of its employees for contraventions of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (NDIS Act). The NDIS Commission has also commenced civil penalty proceedings against Lifestyle Solutions for failing to notify the NDIS Commission of reportable incidents within the required timeframes.

It is alleged Lifestyle Solutions, an NDIS registered provider located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, failed to comply with its conditions of registration and with the NDIS Code of Conduct in providing supports and services in a safe and competent manner to participants in its care.

Some of the alleged incidents include failing to ensure participants can access supports free from violence, abuse or neglect, failing to ensure each participant is safeguarded and incidents are responded to and well managed, and failing to ensure participants can access supports in a safe environment that is appropriate to their needs.

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner Louise Glanville said that in serious cases like this, the NDIS Commission will take strong action to ensure that NDIS providers are held to account if their action or inaction presents a risk to the safety and wellbeing of people with disability in their care.

“Every NDIS participant has the right to live free from abuse, neglect and violence,” said Commissioner Glanville.

“The NDIS Commission plays a critical role in ensuring these rights are protected when receiving supports and services from NDIS providers, and we are committed to safeguarding NDIS participants and putting people with disability at the centre of everything we do.

“The NDIS takes all allegations of breaches of the NDIS Code of Conduct very seriously and will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action to keep participants safe."

The NDIS Commission is also alleging Lifestyle Solutions failed to ensure risks to participants and its workers were identified and managed.

The NDIS Commission will allege Lifestyle Solutions engaged in 69 separate contraventions of the NDIS Act. The NDIS Commission will also allege an employee of Lifestyle Solutions engaged in contraventions of the NDIS Act.

It is also alleged that Lifestyle Solutions failed to comply with its conditions of registration by failing to report 199 incidents involving people with disabilities experiencing abuse, neglect or injury within required timeframes to the NDIS Commission.

Under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018, registered NDIS providers are required to report these incidents to the NDIS Commission within specified timeframes.

ENDS

Media contact
Email: media@ndiscommission.gov.au