Disability Service Provider Rating Website Launches

With the $22 billion National Disability Insurance Scheme about to be rolled out Australia-wide, a free tool allowing people to rate disability service providers has been launched.

CareNavigator.com.au was created by Michael Stevenson, who described the website as TripAdvisor for the NDIS.

Stevenson said he developed the website, which went live in February, to give people with disability and their families access to more information in the age of the NDIS.

“The idea behind CareNavigator.com.au is pretty simple, information helps people make decisions.

“With the NDIS continuing to rollout we’re seeing a major move towards consumer-directed care and people having choice over their supports.

“Of course, making decisions without information is a bit of a gamble, and so reviews were incorporated as a way to share personal experience. By sharing those experiences you are helping give people information to make choices about their care.

“So that’s what CareNavigator.com.au is all about, making it easy to find NDIS providers and making it easy to share experiences to help each other make choices.”

Stevenson said he was also encouraged to develop the website after finding the National Disability Insurance Agency online tools to be “clunky”.

“The page even noted in big bold text ‘NOTE this page loads slowly, please be patient’,” he said.

“So I started thinking about what a better way to find NDIS providers might look like and asking people about how they choose their providers.”

Thousands of service providers have already been listed on the site and Stevenson said reviews had been coming in thick and fast.

“Reviews play a significant role in the algorithm that determines each providers ranking in results on CareNavigator.com.au so relevant reviews are really key to a provider’s visibility in searches,” he said.

“It’s also interesting that our first reviews shared have been really positive. It’s fantastic to see providers being recognised, celebrating great providers is core to the purpose of CareNavigator.com.au.

“As the site continue to grow this would mean providers without reviews would become less prominent in search results.”

It is free for people to both leave reviews and for service providers to be listed on CareNavigator.com.au, with Stevenson saying he hoped the site ultimately helped to improve the care people with disability received.

“I hope it helps people make choices that they’re happy with when searching for NDIS providers and making decisions about their care,” he said.

“I also hope that by recognising great providers, Care Navigator inspires great quality care. A few people have already shared four and five star reviews and that recognition means a lot to the people who are providing care.”

Clickability is also an NDIS online directory, operating as a social enterprise, which allows clients to find and rate services, and works with providers to develop their profile and engage with feedback.