Our reference: FOI 24/25-0756
GPO Box 700
Canberra ACT 2601
1800 800 110
19 February 2025
ndis.gov.au
Clementine Saber
By email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Clementine Saber
Freedom of Information request — Notice of Decision
Thank you for your correspondence of 17 November 2024
(your correspondence), seeking
access under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to documents held by the
National Disability Insurance Agency
(NDIA).
The purpose of this letter is to provide you with a decision on your request.
Scope of your request
You have requested access to the following documents:
“(1). Article “Understand functional capacity assessments”
(2). Article “Create a new functional capacity assessment case”
(3). An un-redacted copy of “SGP KP Publishing – Record assessment - WHODAS”
that was previously released in FOI 24/25-0230
(4). All other internal articles, guidance, and standard operating procedures about
functional capacity assessments (both general and about specific assessment tools)
(5). The “WHODAS2 Training Presentation” document
(6). All training materials provided or available to staff about functional capacity
assessments (both general and about specific assessment tools)
Please include all identified documents in full. I consider all parts of a document to be
relevant, except the surnames and contact details of staff, which can be removed”
Extension of time
On 25 November 2024, you agreed via email to a 30-day extension of time under section
15AA of the FOI Act, making 17 January 2025 the new date to provide you with a decision
on access.
Expiration of time
As we were not able to complete your application by the legislated due date of 17 January
2025, your application is regarded as a deemed refusal under section 15AC of the FOI Act.
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Despite this, I have continued to process your application. I apologise for the delay and
confirm that you retain your right to seek external review of this decision. Details are set out
in
Attachment B to this letter.
Searches conducted
The NDIA’s Frontline Capability and Service Guidance Branch conducted searches and
located 34 documents relevant to the scope of your request.
Section 17(1)(c) of the FOI Act provides that an agency can produce a written document
containing the requested information, by the use of a computer or other equipment that is
ordinarily available for retrieving or collating stored information.
The Frontline Capability Branch located 2 eLearning modules with information relevant to
your request, and as such, created 2 additional documents pursuant to section 17 of the FOI
Act for the purposes of your request.
Decision
I am the authorised officer pursuant to section 23(1) of the FOI Act to make a decision on
this FOI request.
I have decided to:
Grant access in full to 26 documents
Grant access in part to 10 documents in accordance with section 22 –
Access to
edited copies with exempt or irrelevant matter deleted on the grounds that the
redacted material is considered irrelevant to your request.
Section 22 – Access to edited copies with exempt or irrelevant material deleted
Section 22 of the FOI Act permits an agency to prepare and provide an edited copy of a
document where the agency has decided to refuse access to an exempt document or that to
give access to a document would disclose information that would reasonably be regarded as
irrelevant to the request for access.
In your FOI request you considered surnames and contact details of NDIA staff to be
irrelevant to your request. Additionally on 1 February 2025, you confirmed via email that you
had no objections to limiting point 6 of your request to only information relevant to functional
capacity assessment, with the caveat that we do not consider information on those pages
irrelevant and also provide the title page, contents page, introduction/overview page and
version history for each document.
I have identified irrelevant material in 10 documents and am satisfied that it is reasonably
practicable to remove this material and release the documents to you in material form.
The decision in relation to each document is detailed in the schedule of documents at
Attachment A.
Rights of review
Your rights to seek a review of my decision, or lodge a complaint, are set out at
Attachment B.
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Should you have any enquiries concerning this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me
by email at xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx.
Yours sincerely
Patrick (PHO293) Senior Freedom of Information Officer
Complaints Management & FOI Branch
General Counsel Division
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Attachment A
Schedule of Documents for FOI 24/25-0756
Document
Page
Description
Access Decision
Comments
number
number
1 1-8
Knowledge Article (KA) - Understand functional capacity
FULL ACCESS
assessments
Date: July 2023
2 9-15
KA - Create a new functional capacity assessment case
FULL ACCESS
Date: December 2023
3 16-23
KA - Record Assessment WHODAS
FULL ACCESS
Date: October 2023
4 24-31
KA - Record Assessment - PEDI-CAT
FULL ACCESS
Date: 18 December 2023
5 32-39
KA - Record a communication function classification score
FULL ACCESS
Date: July 2023
6 40-47
KA - Record information - Disease steps assessment
FULL ACCESS
Date: July 2023
7 48-55
KA - Record Information - Expanded disability status scale
FULL ACCESS
Date: July 2023
8 56-62
KA - Record information - functional impact of hearing loss
FULL ACCESS
Date: July 2023
4
Document
Page
Description
Access Decision
Comments
number
number
9 63-69
KA - Record information - functional impact of vision loss
FULL ACCESS
Date: July 2023
10 70-76
KA - Record information - gross motor functional classification
FULL ACCESS
scale
Date: July 2023
11 77-83
KA - Record information - level of lesion assessment
FULL ACCESS
Date: July 2023
12 84-91
KA - Record information - Life Skills Profile (LSP-16)
FULL ACCESS
Date: July 2023
13 92-98
KA - Record information - manual ability classification system
FULL ACCESS
Date: July 2023
14 99-105
KA - Record information - Modified Rankin Scale
FULL ACCESS
Date: July 2023
15 106-112
KA - Record information - the Care and Needs Scale
FULL ACCESS
Date: July 2023
16 113-120
KA - Record Information - Record Information - Vineland
FULL ACCESS
Adaptive Behaviour Scales
Date: July 2023
17 121-126
KA - Record information from the DSM5 – Autism
FULL ACCESS
Date: July 2023
18 127-135
KA - Record information from the DSM5 - intellectual Disability
FULL ACCESS
Date: July 2023
5
Document
Page
Description
Access Decision
Comments
number
number
19 136-148
KA - How to apply for the NDIS in PACE
FULL ACCESS
Date: 27 May 2023
20 149-157
KA - Action a plan approval case when access is granted
FULL ACCESS
without pre-access information gathering
Date: 12 August 2024
21 158-190
Standard Operating Procedure - Complete the Update the
FULL ACCESS
Severity Tools task v3
Date: July 2023
22 191-219
Practice Guide - Identifying Housing Solutions v22
FULL ACCESS
Date: 28 April 2021
23 220-244
Practice Guide - Safeguarding the participant's interests v8
FULL ACCESS
Date: 14 January 2021
24 245-263
WHODAS 2.0
FULL ACCESS
Date: 18 March 2020
25 264-287
Frontline Essential: Making Connections, Applying and Access
PARTIAL ACCESS Irrelevant material
v3
removed under section
22 of the FOI Act
Date: 4 March 2024
26 288-309
Frontline Essential: Making Connections, Applying and Access
PARTIAL ACCESS Irrelevant material
– Program Guide v2.3
removed under section
22 of the FOI Act
Date: 29 October 2024
27 310-314
Making Connections, Applying and Access – Learner
PARTIAL ACCESS Irrelevant material
Workbook: Answer Guide v2.3
removed under section
22 of the FOI Act
Date: 29 October 2024
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Document
Page
Description
Access Decision
Comments
number
number
28 315-326
Check-ins Program Guide Transition v2.2
PARTIAL ACCESS Irrelevant material
removed under section
Date: 5 September 2024
22 of the FOI Act
29 327-334
Frontline Essentials: Check-ins v2.2
PARTIAL ACCESS Irrelevant material
removed under section
Date: 5 September 2024
22 of the FOI Act
30 335-341
Changes to your Plan – Program v2.2
PARTIAL ACCESS Irrelevant material
removed under section
Date:6 September 2024
22 of the FOI Act
31 342-347
Frontline Essentials: Changes to you plan v2.2
PARTIAL ACCESS Irrelevant material
removed under section
Date: 6 September 2024
22 of the FOI Act
32 348-371
Overview _ Early Childhood Approach – Facilitator Guide v2
PARTIAL ACCESS Irrelevant material
removed under section
Date: 1 March 2024
22 of the FOI Act
33 372-403
Overview _ Early Childhood Approach v2
PARTIAL ACCESS Irrelevant material
removed under section
Date: 1 March 2024
22 of the FOI Act
34 404-417
Overview – Early Childhood Approach – Learner Workbook v2
PARTIAL ACCESS Irrelevant material
removed under section
Date: 1 March 2024
22 of the FOI Act
35 418-434
eLearning Module - CI Connect – Severity Tools
FULL ACCESS
Document created
under section 17 of the
Date: 2021 – Current as of January 2025
FOI Act
36 435-438
eLearning Module - CI Connect – Severity Tools: Team
FULL ACCESS
Document created
Facilitation Discussion Questions
under section 17 of the
FOI Act
Date: 2021 – Current as of January 2025
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ATTACHMENT B
Your review rights
As this matter was a deemed refusal, internal review of this decision is not an option.
However, if you have concern with any aspect of this decision, please contact the NDIA FOI
team by email xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx or by post:
Freedom of Information Section
Complaints Management & FOI Branch
General Counsel Division
National Disability Insurance Agency
GPO Box 700
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Review by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
The FOI Act gives you the right to apply to the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC) to seek a review of this decision.
If you wish to have the decision reviewed by the OAIC, you may apply for the review, in
writing, or by using the online merits review form available on the OAIC’s website at
www.oaic.gov.au, within 60 days of receipt of this letter.
Applications for review can be lodged with the OAIC in the following ways:
Online: www.oaic.gov.au
Post: GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001
Email: xxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
Phone: 1300 363 992 (local call charge)
Complaints to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner or the
Commonwealth Ombudsman
You may complain to either the Commonwealth Ombudsman or the OAIC about actions
taken by the NDIA in relation to your request. The Ombudsman will consult with the OAIC
before investigating a complaint about the handling of an FOI request.
Your complaint to the OAIC can be directed to the contact details identified above. Your
complaint to the Ombudsman can be directed to:
Phone: 1300 362 072 (local call charge)
Email: xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Your complaint should be in writing and should set out the grounds on which it is considered
that the actions taken in relation to the request should be investigated.
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