July 2010 - Issue 31 (Special)

Changes to the DS NMDS collection

This special newsletter is provided to inform you of future changes to the DS NMDS collection for all Funded Non-Government Service Providers (FNGSPs). The changes will be implemented through a series of transitional arrangements in the 2010-11 collection period.

Background

In January 2009 the then Disability Services Queensland, in response to a demand for efficiency strategies to reduce administrative burden and streamline funding approaches to FNGSPs, commenced a project to transition FNGSPs to funding for output based service provision.

Regional Support Officers are always willing to discuss queries concerning your DS NMDS reporting. However, if you have questions concerning the outputs funding process, please forward them to the following email address: POQ@communities.qld.gov.au or check the Departmental internet site.

Summary of changes

Service types

Some DS NMDS service types have changed or split, and sub codes will replace some existing codes. Each service provider will be advised if their service types are changed.

Places and hours

Currently FNGSPs report service delivery provided by the number of people supported and the hours of support in a given quarter (hours per typical and reference week). There will be a new requirement for some service providers to report places for some service types. They will need to report each instance of service and the number of places will be derived from this new reporting method.

Some service types will have additional data items to provide including the requirement to report hours.

Service user's name

Full surname and given name must now be reported to the Department of Communities. The SLK (code for name) is no longer required, but will be derived from the full name. The SLK, not the full name, will be used when sending the data to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

Service user's DISQIS ID

The DISQIS ID can be obtained from your Community Resource Officer. At present this is not a mandatory data item as not all service users are registered with Disability Services. Changes to processes in Disability Services will require all service users to be registered with them in the future.

Service user's address

To date the postcode has been the only item collected for the service user's address. The Department now requires the full residential address of the service user for all service types that report service user information. Only the postcode is reported to the AIHW.

Carer's date of birth

The requirement to provide the Age Group of Carer has been replaced with the Carer Birth Date allowing DS NMDS to accurately calculate the Carer's Age Group.

Service user's actual hours of support

This is the total number of hours of the service type the service user has received in the quarter and will replace hours of support received in the typical week. Hours of service received in the reference week will remain unchanged. There is still a requirement to provide typical week hours for staff in the Service Type Outlet report.

Transitional Arrangements

The Purchasing, Outputs and Quality Branch, Disability and Community Care Services or your Community Resource Officer will contact relevant service providers at specific times during the 2010-11 collection year to organise the transition to outputs reporting. For further information, including expected scheduling, contact: POQ@communities.qld.gov.au

Reporting methods

Paper forms

2010-11 paper forms with minimal changes will be despatched to appropriate service providers in August 2010.

2010-11 paper forms incorporating any additional changes will be available when these changes are implemented.

Online Data Collection (ODC)

Changes will be made to ODC. We will advise when these occur.

Commercial software & In-house systems

Service providers who use systems other than ODC will be advised separately of technical requirements for the DS NMDS. It is expected that these guidelines will be made available shortly.

Internet Updates

The DS NMDS site will be updated to reflect transitional differences in the near future. View DS NMDS for more information.

Regional Support Officers

Brisbane Region –
Catherine Jones  0403 209 436 M
catherine.jones2@communities.qld.gov.au

Central Queensland/South West Regions –
Juanita White  0403 209 434 M
juanita.white3@communities.qld.gov.au

North Coast/South East Regions -
Karen Eborall  0403 209 437 M
karen.eborall@communities.qld.gov.au

North Queensland/Far North Queensland –
Lindy O'Neill  0434 604 844 M
melinda.oneill@communities.qld.gov.au

Disability Services NMDS help available

For any enquiries, please call the RSOs or email us using the details below.
DS NMDS help: cstdanmdshelp@disability.qld.gov.au
Outputs help: poq@communities.qld.gov.au
Disability Services NMDS online