A plan review can feel stressful, especially if you are not sure what to bring or what will be asked. A good starting point is getting the right support around you, including Support Coordination or Plan Management if you have those in place.

The NDIS now commonly uses the term “plan reassessment”, although many people still say “plan review”. The NDIS says every plan includes a reassessment date, and your first reassessment usually falls around 12 months after your plan starts. The NDIA will normally contact participants before the reassessment date and discuss what information may be needed.

What to gather before the meeting

The NDIS says you may need reports or assessments from providers to show how supports are helping you work toward your goals and what supports may be needed in future.

It helps to gather:

recent reports
examples of progress
details of what worked well
details of what did not work well
notes about any changes in your life or support needs.

Questions to think through

The NDIS suggests thinking about:

what worked well in your plan
what did not work well
progress toward your goals
which goals you want to continue or change
whether you want to change how your funding is managed.

That last point matters. A review is a good time to think about whether Plan Management would make your plan easier to use.

How to make the meeting easier

Write your points down. Bring someone you trust if needed. Keep examples practical and specific. If your circumstances are unlikely to change much, the NDIS also says some participants may discuss a longer plan duration of up to 3 years with their planner or LAC.

Review or reassessment — is there a difference?

In everyday conversation people say “plan review”. The NDIS now says “plan reassessment”. They mean the same event: the scheduled conversation about whether your plan still fits.

The word “review” does mean something specific in one context, though. If you disagree with a decision the NDIA has made, that is a review of a decision, which is a different process with its own rules. It is worth knowing which one you are talking about when you ring them.

If the plan does not come back the way you hoped

You can ask for an internal review. The NDIS says you have three months from the day you received the decision to request one. That deadline matters, so do not sit on it while you decide whether to bother.

You can request a review by calling 1800 800 110, submitting an enquiry with supporting evidence, completing the request for a review of a decision form, or in person at an NDIS office.

Send evidence with the request rather than promising it later. A reviewer with nothing new in front of them tends to reach the same conclusion as the first decision-maker.

Three mistakes worth avoiding

Preparing the week before. Useful evidence builds up over months. Reports take time to request.
Only describing your best days. People understandably present well in meetings. If your worst weeks are the reason you need support, they need to be part of the conversation.
Talking about supports instead of goals. Funding follows goals. “I want to keep working” lands better than “I want more hours”.

If you have Support Coordination in place, preparing for a reassessment is squarely part of what they are funded to help with. So is being in the meeting with you if you would rather not do it alone.

For clear help before your next review or reassessment, contact Taylor Made Outcomes.

Official NDIS source: Preparing for your plan reassessment