A recent ABC news report looked at the case of Brisbane woman April Coulsan, who was left paralysed from the armpits down after a spinal bleed in 2019. Since then, NDIS funding for therapy and disability support workers has played a significant part in her rehabilitation, helping her regain independence, return to full-time work, and come off the disability support pension.

Following a recent plan review, April’s physiotherapy hours were reduced from six to two a week, despite recommendations from her treating doctors, exercise physiologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists that the higher level of therapy remain in place. A separate request to fund a replacement access ramp, which had already been rebuilt for her to use, was also declined.

The internal review decision cited “value for money” as the reason for both outcomes, and suggested that disability support workers and family members could take on some of the therapy role instead. April and her family have raised concerns that this approach isn’t appropriate given her medical history, including a risk of pressure sores and other complications. She’s now appealing the decision through the Administrative Review Tribunal.

NDIS funding cuts like these are a growing concern for participants around the country, particularly for those managing complex, high-support needs following an injury, illness, or hospital discharge. It’s the kind of situation that comes up more often than people expect. Plan reviews don’t always land the way participants or their allied health teams anticipate, and when that happens, it can be difficult to know what to do next or who to turn to.

Every participant’s plan is meant to be built around their own assessed needs, supported by evidence from the treating professionals who know their situation best. When a review outcome moves away from that evidence, without a clear explanation participants and families can understand, it puts people in a position of having to prove, again, what their doctors and therapists have already documented.

That takes time, energy, and often a formal appeal, on top of everything else a participant may already be managing day to day. We hope April, and anyone else in Brisbane or elsewhere currently going through a similar review, gets a fair hearing and ends up with a plan that genuinely reflects their needs, rather than one shaped mainly by cost.

What If Your Plan Review Outcome Doesn’t Match Your Recommendations?

If a review doesn’t match what your allied health team has recommended, support coordinator is generally the right person to help you walk through it. They can help you understand the reasoning behind a decision, pull together the right supporting evidence from your treating team, and talk you through your options, including internal review and appeal pathways through the Administrative Review Tribunal. If you already have a support coordinator, this is exactly the kind of situation worth raising with them early rather than waiting until a deadline is close.

Plan Variation or Plan Reassessment?

One of the common points of confusion after a plan review is whether the right next step is a plan variation or plan reassessment. The two processes are different, apply in different circumstances, and can lead to different outcomes and timeframes. If you’re not sure which applies to your situation, we’ve covered the difference in more detail here: NDIS Plan Changes 2026: Plan Variation vs Plan Reassessment. It’s worth reading through before you decide how to proceed.

How We Can Help?

Plan reviews, appeals, and evidence-gathering aren’t something we manage directly that side of things sits with your support coordinator. What we can help with is the day-to-day. Whatever your plan currently looks like, our team can put together a care plan built around your needs and provide qualified disability support workers to help carry it out, whether that’s personal care, daily living support, hospital discharge support, or other everyday assistance. The goal is to make sure that whatever your NDIS funding does or doesn’t cover right now, you’re not left figuring out the practical side of your support on your own.

Get in Touch

Navigating the NDIS can be a lot to manage on your own, especially on top of everything else life throws your way. Whether you’re settling into a new plan, adjusting to a change in your support hours, or just want to know what your options look like day-to-day, our team is here to help you figure out the next step.

Give us a call on 1300 822 190 to chat with someone directly or make a referral online and we’ll be in touch. However you get started, we’re glad to have you reach out.

Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news.2026-09-13/paralysed-queensland-woman-loses-ndis-funding/107130472