What Is Telepractice? A Guide to Telehealth Allied Health for NDIS Participants
For NDIS participants living outside major cities, or for families juggling work, school runs and appointments, getting to a clinic can be the hardest part of accessing allied health. Telepractice changes that. It means a participant can see their Behaviour Support Practitioner, Psychologist or Occupational Therapist from their own home, on their own schedule.
This blog explains what telepractice is, how it works in the NDIS, and where it suits well. It also covers when face-to-face is still the better option, so Support Coordinators and families can make a clear-headed call about which mode of delivery is right for each participant.
What Is Telepractice or Telehealth?
Telepractice is the delivery of allied health services using secure video and phone technology instead of, or alongside, face-to-face sessions. You may also hear it called telehealth, telerehab, or virtual care. The terms are used interchangeably in the NDIS sector.
In practical terms, a telepractice session looks like a structured video appointment with a qualified practitioner. The practitioner runs assessment, therapy, coaching or family training over a secure platform. Notes, plans and reports are written up and shared the same way they would be after an in-person session.
Telepractice is not a lesser version of allied health. For many participants and many goals, it is clinically equivalent to face-to-face. For some, it works better because the session happens in the environment where the person actually lives.
Telepractice for Positive Behaviour Support
Positive Behaviour Support is one of the strongest fits for telepractice, and it is where Allied Health 2U sees the most demand from Support Coordinators in regional NSW, the Central Coast, the Illawarra and Adelaide.
A telehealth PBS engagement can include:
- Initial intake and history-gathering with the participant, family and support team.
- Functional Behaviour Assessment interviews, supported by direct observation via video where appropriate.
- Behaviour Support Plan development.
- Implementation training for family, support workers and SIL staff, including live coaching and role-play.
- Monitoring, review and restrictive practice reduction work.
Telehealth Positive Behaviour Support is particularly valuable for participants in areas where there is a thin local PBS workforce. It means a participant in regional NSW or outer-suburban Adelaide can access an experienced NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner without waiting six months for a local clinician to become available.
Telepractice for Psychology
Psychology has been delivered via telehealth at scale across Australia since 2020, and the evidence base for it is now robust. The Australian Psychological Society supports telehealth psychology as clinically effective for a wide range of presentations.
Through Allied Health 2U, NDIS participants can access telehealth psychology for:
- Emotional regulation work.
- Anxiety, depression and trauma-informed therapy.
- Adjustment to disability or diagnosis.
- Grief and loss.
- Support for carers and family members of NDIS participants.
Psychology is typically funded under Capacity Building, Improved Daily Living in an NDIS plan. Telepractice does not change the funding category. It simply changes the mode of delivery.
Telepractice for Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy can also be delivered via telepractice, though the fit depends on what the participant needs.
Telehealth OT works well for:
- Goal setting and review sessions.
- Cognitive and executive function strategy work.
- Sensory profile discussions with families.
- Equipment prescription consultations where the participant or family can show the home environment via video.
- Coaching support workers in implementing OT strategies.
Some OT work, such as hands-on functional capacity assessments, home modification site visits and complex equipment prescriptions, generally requires face-to-face contact. Allied Health 2U's Occupational Therapy team delivers face-to-face OT across Sydney and Greater Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast, with telehealth available Australia-wide for the goals it suits.
Telehealth Allied Health
Access PBS, Psychology and OT from Anywhere in Australia
Allied Health 2U delivers telehealth allied health services to NDIS participants Australia-wide. Whether you're in regional NSW, Adelaide, the Central Coast or anywhere in between, our practitioners are ready to support you.
Telepractice in Speech Pathology
Telepractice is the term most commonly used in speech pathology, where the evidence base for remote delivery is particularly strong. Where an NDIS participant needs speech pathology, Allied Health 2U coordinates the referral with our trusted partner speech pathology provider, who can deliver via telepractice as well as in person.
What Telepractice Is Not Suited For
A clear-eyed view matters here. Telepractice is not always the right call. It is generally not the best fit when:
- A participant needs hands-on physical assessment, such as a podiatry foot check, physiotherapy or in-home OT site visit.
- A participant cannot tolerate or engage with screen-based sessions due to sensory, cognitive or communication factors. (Note: this is not automatic. Many participants with intellectual disability, autism or complex communication needs engage very well with telepractice when the session is designed around them.)
- The participant's home environment does not provide enough privacy for the work.
- A formal safeguarding concern requires in-person presence.
Where face-to-face is the better mode, Allied Health 2U delivers across our service regions. Where telepractice fits, we deliver Australia-wide.
Is Telepractice Funded by the NDIS?
Yes. Telepractice delivered by a qualified allied health professional is funded under the same line items as face-to-face delivery in an NDIS plan. The NDIS pricing arrangements treat telehealth as a recognised mode of delivery, not a different service.
That means a participant's existing Capacity Building funding for Positive Behaviour Support, Improved Daily Living or Therapeutic Supports can be used for telepractice without a plan change.
What Makes a Good Telepractice Session
A few practical things make the difference between a telepractice session that works and one that doesn't:
- A reliable internet connection and a device with a working camera and microphone.
- A quiet, private space where the participant can speak openly.
- A support person present if that helps the participant engage, with the participant's consent.
- A clear goal for the session, set with the practitioner in advance.
- Permission to pause, take breaks, or move the session to a different day if the participant is not in the right space for it.
A good telepractice provider will check in on these things before the first session, not assume them.
How to Get Started With Telepractice Through Allied Health 2U
If you are a Support Coordinator or family member looking to set up telepractice for an NDIS participant, the process is straightforward:
- Contact AH2U with the participant's referral details and goals.
- We confirm which service or services suit, and whether telepractice, face-to-face, or a blend is the right fit.
- The participant is matched with a suitable practitioner across our PBS, Psychology, OT, Podiatry, Physiotherapy or Exercise Physiology team. Where speech pathology is required, we coordinate the referral with our partner provider.
- The first session is scheduled, with all platform and technical details shared in advance.
Want to set up telepractice for an NDIS participant? Get in touch with Allied Health 2U on 1300 24 2428. We deliver telehealth allied health Australia-wide.
Telehealth allied health
Telepractice questions, answered
The questions Support Coordinators and families ask us most about telehealth with Allied Health 2U.
What is telepractice and how does it work?
Telepractice is allied health support delivered over a secure video call rather than in person. A session runs much like a face-to-face appointment. The practitioner works through assessments, strategies, and goals with the participant, and a family member or support person can join when that helps. We send the platform link and a few simple steps before the first session, so no one is left guessing on the day.
Is telehealth as effective as seeing someone in person?
For a lot of participants, yes. Telehealth suits many areas of allied health, including Psychology sessions and Positive Behaviour Support planning and review. Some goals are better served by a face-to-face visit or a blend of both, and we will be upfront about which approach we think fits the participant rather than pushing everyone down the same path.
Which services does Allied Health 2U offer through telehealth?
We deliver Positive Behaviour Support, Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Podiatry, Physiotherapy, and Exercise Physiology, with telehealth available Australia-wide for the services suited to it. Where speech pathology is required, we coordinate the referral with our partner provider so the participant still gets joined-up support.
What does a participant need to join a session?
A device with a camera and microphone, such as a phone, tablet, or laptop, and a reasonable internet connection. We keep the setup simple and send clear instructions ahead of time. If someone needs a hand the first time, we are happy to walk them or their support person through it.
How do I make a referral or get started?
Contact Allied Health 2U with the participant's details and goals. We will confirm which service suits, and whether telepractice, face-to-face, or a blend is right, then match the participant with a suitable practitioner and book the first session.
Telehealth with Allied Health 2U
Thinking about telehealth for an NDIS participant?
We are happy to talk it through and help you work out the right fit. No pressure, just a straightforward conversation about what the participant needs.
Prefer email? info@alliedhealth2u.com.au
Positive Behaviour Support
