The NDIS funds physiotherapy and exercise physiology through the Capacity Building part of your plan, where the support is reasonable and necessary and connects to a goal in your plan. Physiotherapy usually sits under Improved Daily Living, and exercise physiology under Improved Health and Wellbeing. No doctor’s referral is required.
NDIS funding for allied health is one of those areas where the rules are not complicated, but they are described in language that makes them sound complicated. Three questions settle most of it: which budget the funding comes from, how your plan is managed, and what the goal is.
1. Which budget the funding comes from
NDIS plans have three budget types: Core, Capital and Capacity Building. Therapy sits in Capacity Building.
| Support | Usually funded under | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Physiotherapy | Improved Daily Living, therapeutic supports | Assessment and treatment to improve movement, function and independence, and to manage pain, mobility and equipment needs. |
| Exercise physiology | Improved Health and Wellbeing | Structured exercise programs where a disability makes exercising safely or independently difficult. |
Your plan does not have to name physiotherapy specifically. It has to have funding in the relevant budget and a goal the support reasonably connects to, such as improving mobility, maintaining independence at home, reducing falls, or participating in community activities.
2. How your plan is managed
This is the part that determines who you can book with.
- Self managed. You pay providers and claim back. You can use any provider, registered or not.
- Plan managed. A plan manager pays invoices on your behalf. You can use any provider, registered or not.
- Agency managed, also called NDIA managed. The NDIA pays providers directly. You must use an NDIS registered provider.
Fortius Allied Health is not an NDIS registered provider. That means self managed and plan managed participants can book, at all four clinics. If your plan is agency managed, the NDIA pays providers directly and you will need a registered provider instead.
If you are not sure which applies to you, your plan document says so on the first page, and your plan manager or support coordinator can confirm it in a phone call.
3. What the sessions actually involve
Physiotherapy
NDIS physiotherapy is less about treating a single injury and more about function over time. Common areas of work:
- Mobility, walking, transfers and getting around at home and in the community
- Balance and falls reduction
- Maintaining joint range and managing muscle tightness or contracture
- Prescribing and reviewing equipment, walking aids and orthoses
- Pain management
- Programs that support workers or family can carry out between sessions
- Functional assessments and reports for plan reviews
Exercise physiology
Accredited exercise physiologists prescribe exercise for people with chronic conditions and disability. Under an NDIS plan this commonly covers strength and conditioning to support daily tasks, cardiovascular fitness, weight management, managing conditions such as type 2 diabetes alongside a disability, and building confidence to use a gym or community facility independently.
Some participants work with both, with the physiotherapist handling assessment, pain and equipment, and the exercise physiologist running the ongoing program. There is more on the difference between the two on the physiotherapy and exercise physiology comparison page.
What to bring to the first appointment
- A copy of your NDIS plan, or at least the goals and budget pages
- Your plan manager’s or support coordinator’s contact details
- Any previous therapy reports, equipment prescriptions or specialist letters
- A list of the things you want to be able to do that you currently cannot, which is usually the most useful item on this list
The first appointment is an assessment. You should leave with a plan that is written in terms of your goals, an estimate of how many sessions are being proposed, and what it will draw from your budget.
Reports and plan reviews
Functional assessments and progress reports are a normal part of NDIS allied health work and are billed against your plan. Ask for a report several weeks before your review date rather than in the week of it, since a well evidenced report is often what determines whether therapy funding continues at the same level.
Report writing time is charged, as is travel time where travel forms part of the service agreed with you. Both are standard under the NDIS price limits and both draw from your plan, so it is worth asking for an estimate up front. Fortius Allied Health will put a service agreement in place if you or your plan manager want one. Plan managed participants usually do. Some self managed participants prefer to book without one, which is also fine.
Booking on the Sunshine Coast and in Gympie
Fortius Allied Health sees NDIS participants at Caloundra, Noosaville, Birtinya and Gympie.
Caloundra at 41 Bombala Terrace and Noosaville at Noosa Civic Medihub currently have the widest appointment availability, including regular recurring appointment times, which matters for a program that runs for months. Appointments are available from 7am to 5:30pm.
Phone 07 5293 6000 for Caloundra or 07 5440 7700 for Noosaville, and reception can check your plan management type and what is needed before your first visit. You can also book online, or read more about physiotherapy, exercise physiology and group exercise programs at Fortius Allied Health.
Frequently asked questions
Does the NDIS cover physiotherapy?
Yes, where physiotherapy is a reasonable and necessary support linked to your plan goals. It is usually funded from the Capacity Building budget under Improved Daily Living, which covers therapeutic supports. The funding sits in your plan whether or not the plan names physiotherapy specifically.
Which NDIS budget pays for exercise physiology?
Exercise physiology is commonly funded under Improved Health and Wellbeing, which covers exercise programs designed to maintain or improve physical wellbeing where a disability affects the ability to exercise safely. It can also sit under Improved Daily Living depending on how the goal is written.
Can I use any physiotherapist with my NDIS plan?
It depends on how your plan is managed. Self managed and plan managed participants can use registered or unregistered providers. Agency managed participants, where the NDIA pays providers directly, must use NDIS registered providers. Check your plan management type before booking.
Do I need a doctor’s referral to use NDIS funding for physiotherapy?
No referral is required. What you do need is funding available in the right part of your plan and a goal the support connects to. Bringing a copy of your plan, or your plan manager’s details, to the first appointment makes the booking straightforward.
Will my physiotherapist write reports for my NDIS plan review?
Yes. Functional assessments and progress reports for plan reviews are a normal part of NDIS allied health work and are usually billed against your plan. Ask for the report several weeks before your review date rather than in the week of it.
Where can I access NDIS physiotherapy on the Sunshine Coast?
Fortius Allied Health sees NDIS participants at its Caloundra, Noosaville, Birtinya and Gympie clinics. Caloundra and Noosaville currently have the widest appointment availability. Phone 07 5293 6000 for Caloundra or 07 5440 7700 for Noosaville.
About Fortius Allied Health
This article is general information and is not a substitute for individual clinical advice or advice about your NDIS plan. Funding decisions are made by the National Disability Insurance Agency, and scheme rules and price limits change. Fortius Allied Health physiotherapists are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and exercise physiologists are accredited with Exercise and Sports Science Australia.
