The new program has the chance to correct some of the NDIS' failings.
At the National Press club last week, Health Minister Mark Butler unveiled the new program aimed at reducing growth pressure on the NDIS whilst still supporting children with autism.
Further details are yet to be revealed about how the initiative will play out in practice.
The ‘Thriving Kids’ initiative will focus on identifying developmental concerns earlier and establishing a national system of supports for children aged eight and under with mild to moderate developmental delay and autism, and their families.
Children with permanent and significant disability will continue to be supported through the NDIS, as will those already on the scheme.
“The fact that [the NDIS] hasn’t involved GPs meant that it was always going to be not the best care for a patient with a disability, especially someone that’s got autism,” RACGP specific interest disability group chair Dr John Crimmins told The Medical Republic.
“In this new system, if the GP is given a bigger role in trying to advocate for their patient’s health overall, including the disability, it’s going to be a very positive thing.”
Mark Butler has consistently reiterated that the new program is not kicking people off the NDIS but rather redirecting a large portion of recipients into a program that will provide better support.
This redirection has been touted by the federal government as a method to reach the 8% growth rate for the NDIS, down from the current 22%.
“National cabinet back in 2023 agreed to get growth in the NDIS down to 8% by next year,” health minister Mark Butler said.
“The NDIS is still forecast to cost $105 billion and will increase its share of the economy, or GDP, by fully half a percent over the coming decade.
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“That’s the equivalent of growth in Medicare, defence and aged care combined, measured as a share of GDP.”
RACGP has prompted the federal government to introduce more GP roles to assist with the care of children with autism.
“In terms of the early diagnosis and management of children with autism, GPs should be funded to assess these patients much earlier, ideally in the first 2000 days of life,” Dr Crimmins told TMR.
“A GP doing an assessment of a child at three can actually pick up autism a bit earlier and get them plugged into services that they need, and there’s a lot of services you can actually access through Medicare.
“The only downside from GP is that looking after people with disabilities is that it takes a long time, and currently, there’s a disadvantage in looking after people in terms of using longer consults.”
