Northern Health has observed a sharp increase in patients with disabilities engaging with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), with 150 individuals recorded by the end of July 2025- already exceeding the total of 112 for all of 2022, the program’s inaugural year.

Despite the growing demand, the average length of stay (LOS) for these patients has dramatically improved. From a 144-day average, the LOS has dropped to just 52 days, including periods of medical instability.

 At the heart of this transformation is the Premier Transitional Disability Support program – designed to transition patients with disabilities, who no longer require hospital care, into appropriate disability accommodation.

One powerful example of this impact is ‘Patient 50’, (pictured above) a 61-year-old former teacher whose life was upended by a car accident that left him with spinal injuries. Prior to his admission, Patient 50 had attempted to access the NDIS but was unsuccessful. During his hospital stay, Northern Health’s NDIS Inpatient Specialist Team (NIST) worked closely with the multi-disciplinary team to provide additional evidence, ultimately securing the funding he needed.

This enabled his successful transition into Premier Supported Living –  becoming the 50th patient to benefit from the program. He now resides in a two-bedroom apartment, where his family can visit and stay, while his disability care needs are met by dedicated staff.

With the support of the NIST team—partially funded through Premier—he now has a renewed sense of hope and stability.

And he’s not alone. Another patient who transitioned from Northern Health to Premier Supported Living shared, “I don’t have family—staff are like my family. They even bought me a birthday cake.”

Since its inception in 2022, Northern Health has successfully transitioned 53 such patients through this program, helping them move from hospital beds to homes that better suit their long-term needs.

Last week, Northern Health welcomed Chris Holt, CEO of Premier Supported Living, for a visit that underscored the strength of the partnership. Jason Cirone, Chief Allied Health Officer, stated, “Our partnership with Premier Supported Living has been invaluable in the context of our shared ‘patient centred’ models of care, and our joint capacity to help place our NDIS patients in the right setting at the right time.

Following the visit, Chris shared his appreciation in a heartfelt message.

“Thanks heaps for today. It was really nice to find out that there are so many people that get what we are doing and understand the awesome outcomes we have managed to achieve. We all know that this is a true partnership and you are as important to this success as we are, so thank you for that.”