What an assistive technology assessor is
An assistive technology assessor is a specialist assistive technology advisor. They are a health professional who can give you advice and complete an assessment for assistive technology.
Assistive technology assessors must have special qualifications
They should have relevant qualifications and experience to give you advice about a particular type of assistive technology. They need to have a university or equivalent degree relevant for providing assistive technology assessments. They also need to be working within the standards set by a professional registration organisation, such as the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
Your health professional can refer you to an assistive technology assessor
Not all health professionals have the specialist qualifications to be an assistive technology assessor. Your health professional can refer you to an assistive technology assessor if they aren’t able to complete your assistive technology assessment.
This may be a referral to a:
- nurse continence specialist
- allied health practitioner
- orientation and mobility specialist
- professional rehabilitation engineer.
What an assistive technology assessor is for
We need evidence to decide if we can fund assistive technology for you. An assessor can help give you advice and provide us with this information through an assessment.
The assessment will be different for everyone. It might involve a detailed discussion with you, observations in your home and community, and trials of different assistive technology devices. The assessor then gives detailed recommendations, often including a written report. This helps us consider your request for funding.
When you need assistive technology advice
We suggest you get advice before buying or renting any items when you have assistive technology funding in your NDIS plan. Your medical professional may have enough experience to provide this advice, or they can refer you to an assistive technology assessor to help you find the assistive technology that suits your needs.
Talk to your my NDIS contact if you need support in finding the right person.