NDIS slashes Brisbane woman's physical therapy hours, citing 'value for money'

In July 2017, April Coulson, a teenager from Brisbane, was struck by a spinal cord bleed that left her paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors discovered rare blood vessel malformations and suspect a similar issue caused the injury. April spent six months in hospital before returning home to her parents. She required extensive support, including physical therapy, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy, funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

April built her strength and eventually transitioned to full-time employment, reducing her support worker hours to just four per week. However, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) recently reduced her therapy hours to just two per week, arguing that unqualified support workers and family members can provide the same level of care.

April strongly disagrees, citing safety concerns and the lack of specialized equipment at home. She has written to the NDIA, providing medical endorsements from doctors and therapists, but the agency has denied her request for a $5,000 ramp replacement. April worries that these cuts will increase her reliance on her family and diminish her independence.