In a significant development for Australia’s public healthcare system, a sharp reduction in hospital stays for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants is generating savings to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. Outgoing NDIS Minister Bill Shorten revealed that the average discharge wait time for NDIS patients fell to a record low of just 20 days in November 2024.
A Costly Problem Solved
The extended hospital stays of NDIS participants who no longer required medical care had long been a point of tension between state governments, who manage hospitals, and the federal government, which oversees the NDIS. These patients were occupying vital hospital beds at a staggering cost of around $2,500 per night, despite being cleared for discharge.
Shorten attributes the dramatic improvement to several key initiatives:
- Expanded discharge support team: The NDIS now employs around 200 dedicated planners and hospital liaison officers focused on facilitating smooth patient transitions back into the community.
- Increased medium-term housing options: The creation of more transitional accommodation has given NDIS participants suitable places to move to upon leaving hospital.
Enhancing Participant Welfare
Minister Shorten emphasized that beyond the substantial financial savings, the reduced discharge times represent a “massive improvement for the welfare and wellbeing of people on the NDIS.” The ability to leave hospital and reintegrate into the community as soon as medically possible is a significant boost to participant quality of life.
“No one wants to be in hospital a minute longer than they have to.”
– Bill Shorten, outgoing NDIS minister
Alleviating Hospital Pressure
With hospital resources perpetually stretched thin, every bed occupied by an NDIS patient awaiting discharge contributed to growing wait lists and a shortfall in acute care capacity. By better enabling these individuals to leave hospital promptly, the NDIS is supporting the wider public health system to operate more efficiently and provide critical services to all Australians in need.
As of early December 2024, there were 2,721 NDIS participants still in hospitals across the country. While acknowledging that the “system isn’t perfect” and that some patients continue to experience discharge delays, Shorten expressed confidence that the reduced average wait times will have “positive repercussions through our hospital system.”
A Parting Achievement
The progress in tackling hospital discharge delays for NDIS participants stands out as a key accomplishment for Bill Shorten, who will soon depart politics to assume the role of vice-chancellor at the University of Canberra. Since the Labor party took power in 2022, addressing this “bed block” issue has been one of Shorten’s top priorities as NDIS minister.
As the NDIS and public healthcare system continue to enhance their collaboration, the hundreds of millions in savings generated by shorter hospital stays can be reinvested into further improving disability services and hospital care for all Australians. This development marks a significant step forward in the ongoing effort to provide top-quality, person-centered support to individuals with disabilities while ensuring the sustainability of the nation’s healthcare infrastructure.
