Interpreting NASC assessments
You can consider granting Supported Living Payment from a NASC assessment where you are satisfied that the information contained in the assessment confirms that your client is permanently and severely restricted in their capacity to work because of a health condition, or injury or disability, from accident, or condition they have had since birth.
The main sections within a NASC assessment that you may be able to use to decide eligibility for Supported Living Payment is outlined in the table below:
Section of NASC assessment report | Things to consider |
Disability/diagnosis (name of the condition or disability) | To assess entitlement to Supported Living Payment you need to have a clear indication of the disability/diagnosis and whether the condition is permanent. The client may also provide you with a specialist report that will provide a diagnosis which you can use to determine if the condition is permanent. |
Current living situation (where they are, length of time they have been living there) | Consider the person's living situation. Do they live on their own? A person who lives in supported living arrangements or needs a significant level of assistance to live in their own home is unlikely to be able to regularly work for 15 hours or more per week in open employment (that is, undertake work without significant changes to the job due to their disability). |
Mobility (covers mobility inside and outside the home, in the community, transfers, transport, driving) | Consider your client's mobility needs Does the person need regular support or assistance in most aspects of mobility? Generally a person who needs a significant level of support from another person to undertake these activities would be unlikely to be able to regularly work for 15 hours or more per week in open employment (that is, undertake work without significant changes to the job due to their disability). |
Personal care (covers ability to get in and out of their bed, bathing/showering, dressing/undressing, dental care, personal hygiene, etc) | Consider your client's personal care needs Does the person need regular support or assistance in most aspects of their personal care? Generally a person who needs a significant level of support from another person to undertake these activities would be unlikely to be able to regularly work 15 hours or more per week in open employment (that is, undertake work without significant changes to the job due to their disability). |
Memory Behaviour Cognition (covers memory, behaviour, delusions/hallucinations, anxiety, supervision etc) | Consider your client's memory, behaviour and cognition assessment domains. Does the persons behaviour cause others actual distress or discomfort? Do they have a severe loss of memory for recent and/or remote events? Do they need to be supervised - what is the length of time that the client can be safely left alone? It is unlikely that a person who has significant issues in these areas would be able to work in open employment for 15 or more hours per week (that is, undertake work without significant changes to the job due to their disability). |
If the information you have confirms that your client meets the criteria for Supported Living Payment, you can consider granting Supported Living Payment. You will need to link your client's benefit record to the designated doctor named "Existing Assessments - NASC" in the SDOCS screen in SWIFTT.
Remember the information needs to be current and use all information available to you. For more information see:
If you are not satisfied by the information provided that your client meets the medical criteria for Supported Living Payment, refer to your Regional Health Advisor or Regional Disability Advisor [no link find out why] for advice.
For more information see:
