Waiting for an NDIS therapist: questions to ask and a referral tracker

The tracker below helps participants, families and coordinators manage those details across services. It cannot show live availability, shorten a waiting list or decide which therapy someone needs. It is an optional organising tool you can use without an account.

The NDIA's published provider wait-list tip sheet suggests asking how offers are communicated, whether you need to check in and whether ongoing appointments will be available. Providers' arrangements can differ, so record the answer you receive rather than assuming one process applies everywhere. NDIA: Provider wait lists tip sheet.

Keep the card somewhere appropriate for the information it contains. Do not put participant names, referral details or private correspondence into a public spreadsheet or an open link.

Give each stage a clear meaning

You can use these labels, but they are Kinovo's suggested tracking language, not official NDIS statuses. A provider may combine stages or use different terms.

An automatic “we received your message” email may only confirm delivery. If its meaning is unclear, ask. Do not turn an estimated wait into a guaranteed start date or assume that an initial appointment means ongoing frequency is available.

Ask for confirmation with one clear message

Use the provider's preferred contact method and adapt this message to what is still unknown:

You do not need to include a complete personal history to ask about an enquiry's status. If the provider requests documents, check relevance and the appropriate way to share them. The guide to sharing NDIS plan information can help with that decision.

A fictional example: three enquiries, three different situations

Taylor is exploring an OT service. Taylor and their coordinator have contacted three fictional providers and agreed who will manage the replies.

Harbour OT: wait-list place confirmed. The intake team confirmed the place by email on 2 September. It said it would contact Taylor by phone about an offer and asked for a check-in if contact details change. The next action is to keep those details current. There is no invented weekly chasing task.

Parkside OT: more information requested. The provider has asked for clarification about the purpose of the referral. It has not confirmed a place on its list. The coordinator accepted the task of clarifying the request with Taylor and the referrer. The record does not simply say “waiting for OT”.

Westview OT: appointment offered. The provider offered a time. Taylor wants to check whether it fits other commitments before accepting. The next action belongs to Taylor with their chosen support; nobody has marked the appointment booked.

These are made-up providers and circumstances. The example shows how a useful record distinguishes confirmation, missing information and a choice. It does not recommend a service or imply that any arrangement is funded.

Agree when to check again

Follow the provider's contact arrangements where these have been explained. If no next contact is clear, ask when and how an update would be useful. Record “no check date agreed” rather than quietly adding a deadline the provider has never accepted.

After a call, keep a short record:

• Date and person spoken to.
• The answer received, including anything still uncertain.
• The action each person agreed to take.
• The next contact method or trigger.

If several supporters are involved, agree who makes the next enquiry. That helps prevent conflicting messages without making one person responsible for every task. Use the general follow-up guide for clearer ownership and waiting reasons.

Update the record when circumstances change

If the person's needs or situation change, contact the appropriate provider, referrer or professional through the agreed channels. This tracker is not monitored and should not become the route for urgent health or safety concerns.

If the preferred service cannot help, the NDIA's provider-choice guidance explains where to seek help exploring providers. A tracker cannot determine a suitable clinical alternative.

When an offer is accepted, ask the participant which other enquiries they want to keep or close. Inform the relevant providers rather than assuming lists update each other. Record closure when it is confirmed. Once an OT appointment is arranged, move to the new-OT briefing guide.

If a newly approved plan is the starting point, organise the wider next steps with the plan-approved checklist.

Share the work, if that would help

The tracker can stay on paper or in your existing private records. In Kinovo, a Team leader or suitably permitted member can create separate tasks for confirming intake, supplying an agreed document and checking back when appropriate. Invited contributors can respond to the tasks they own.

Kinovo does not connect to provider wait lists or send referrals automatically. The value is keeping each person's next action and the provider's latest answer together. See Kinovo's shared professional workspace.