As an NDIS support coordinator, one of your most important responsibilities is connecting participants with the right allied health providers — providers who are reliable, communicative, and deliver results that support your participants’ plan goals.
Finding a mobile physiotherapist who ticks all of those boxes is not always straightforward. And when you do find one, the referral process itself can sometimes be more complicated than it needs to be.
At Bayside Mobile Physio, we work with support coordinators across Greater Sydney every week to make the referral process as simple and efficient as possible. This guide explains exactly how to refer a client for in-home physiotherapy — what information we need, what happens after you refer, and what you can expect from us as a provider.
Why In-Home Physiotherapy Matters for Your Participants
Before diving into the referral process, it’s worth understanding why in-home physiotherapy is often the most effective option for NDIS participants — particularly those with complex needs or significant functional limitations.
In-home physiotherapy offers several advantages over clinic-based care for NDIS participants:
- No transport barriers — participants who have difficulty travelling to a clinic can access the same quality of physiotherapy at home
- Real-world assessment — physiotherapists can assess and treat participants in their actual living environment, identifying hazards and designing programs relevant to their specific home setting
- Consistent clinicians — participants see the same physiotherapist each visit, building trust and rapport that supports engagement and outcomes
- Reduced anxiety — for participants with psychosocial disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, or cognitive impairments, receiving therapy in a familiar environment significantly reduces anxiety and improves engagement
- Better outcomes — research consistently shows that participants who receive therapy in their own environment achieve better functional outcomes than those who attend clinics
Which Participants Are Most Likely to Benefit from Home Physiotherapy?
As a support coordinator, the following participant profiles are most likely to benefit from in-home physiotherapy:
- Participants with significant physical disabilities affecting mobility or function
- Participants who have recently been discharged from hospital and require rehabilitation
- Participants with neurological conditions — stroke, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease
- Participants at risk of falls or with a history of falls
- Participants with chronic pain limiting daily function and independence
- Participants living in SIL or SDA properties requiring regular allied health input
- Participants with psychosocial disabilities who struggle to access clinic-based services
- Older participants with age-related functional decline
- Participants whose NDIS goals include improved mobility, independence, or capacity building
If any of your participants fit these profiles and don’t yet have a physiotherapist — or have had difficulty accessing reliable physiotherapy — in-home physiotherapy may be the right solution.
What Information Do You Need to Make a Referral?
Making a referral to Bayside Mobile Physio is straightforward. Here’s the information we need to get started:
Essential information:
- Participant’s full name and date of birth
- Participant’s NDIS number
- Plan management type — plan managed or self managed
- Plan manager’s name and contact details — if plan managed
- Participant’s address and contact number
- Suburb — so we can confirm we have a clinician available in that area
- Brief description of the participant’s condition and goals — even a few sentences is helpful
Helpful but not essential:
- Relevant diagnosis or medical history
- Specific NDIS goals related to physiotherapy
- Support category and budget available for physiotherapy — e.g. Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living
- Any access considerations — e.g. participant uses a wheelchair, has a dog, prefers female clinician
- Preferred days and times for visits
The more information you can provide upfront, the faster we can match your participant with the most appropriate clinician and get them started.
How to Submit a Referral to Bayside Mobile Physio
There are three ways to refer a participant to Bayside Mobile Physio:
Option 1 — Online referral form: The fastest and most efficient option. Complete our online referral form at baysidemobilephysio.com.au/referrals-form. The form captures all the information we need and goes directly to our team. We aim to respond to all online referrals within 24 hours.
Option 2 — Email: Send the participant’s details and referral information to [email protected]. Include as much of the information listed above as possible.
Option 3 — Phone: Call us on 0468 079 075 to discuss the referral directly. This is particularly useful for urgent referrals or participants with complex needs where you’d like to discuss the case before submitting.
What Happens After You Submit a Referral?
Here’s exactly what happens after you refer a participant to Bayside Mobile Physio — so you know what to expect and what to communicate to your participant:
Within 24 hours: Our team reviews the referral and confirms clinician availability in the participant’s area. We contact you and the participant to confirm the referral has been received and advise on expected commencement time.
Within 48–72 hours: We confirm the initial assessment appointment with the participant. In most cases we can commence within 48–72 hours of receiving a referral — one of the fastest commencement times of any mobile physiotherapy provider in Greater Sydney.
Initial assessment: Our physiotherapist conducts a comprehensive in-home assessment — reviewing the participant’s medical history, assessing their physical function, discussing their NDIS goals, and designing a personalised physiotherapy program.
Assessment report: Following the initial assessment, we provide a written report summarising our findings, the participant’s goals, our recommended treatment program, and expected outcomes. This report is sent to you as the support coordinator within 5 business days of the assessment.
Ongoing communication: Throughout the participant’s physiotherapy program, we keep you informed of their progress. You won’t need to chase us for updates — we proactively communicate any changes to the participant’s condition, treatment plan, or attendance.
Progress notes: Progress notes are completed after every session and are available on request. These are aligned to the participant’s NDIS goals and support your reporting and plan review requirements.
Plan review reports: When a participant’s plan review is approaching, we provide a comprehensive plan review report summarising the participant’s progress, outcomes achieved, and recommendations for ongoing physiotherapy support. We aim to provide these at least 4 weeks before the review date when notified in advance.
What Support Categories Cover Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy for NDIS participants is most commonly funded under the following support categories:
Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living (CB Daily Activity) Support item: 15_056_0128_1_3 — Assessment, Recommendation, Therapy or Training (Physiotherapy) This is the most common support category for physiotherapy and covers initial assessments, ongoing therapy sessions, and progress reporting.
Capacity Building — Improved Health and Wellbeing In some cases physiotherapy may be funded under this category — particularly for exercise programs focused on health maintenance.
Core Supports — Assistance with Daily Life In limited circumstances, physiotherapy may be funded under core supports — discuss this with the participant’s plan manager if relevant.
If you are unsure which support category applies to your participant, their plan manager can advise. We are also happy to discuss this with you directly.
What Makes Bayside Mobile Physio Different?
Support coordinators who refer to us consistently tell us the same things — and we take their feedback seriously. Here’s what sets us apart:
Fast commencement: We typically commence within 48–72 hours of a referral. We know that waiting weeks for allied health is a common frustration for coordinators and participants — we’ve built our service to eliminate that wait.
Consistent clinicians: Your participant sees the same physiotherapist every visit. Consistency matters enormously for participants with complex needs — it builds trust, improves engagement, and leads to better outcomes.
Proactive communication: You will never need to chase us for updates. We communicate proactively throughout the program and flag any concerns or changes to the treatment plan immediately.
Prompt, goal-aligned reporting: Our progress notes and reports are aligned to your participant’s NDIS goals and plan outcomes — making your job easier and supporting your reporting requirements.
Coverage across Greater Sydney: We have physiotherapists based across Western Sydney, the Inner West, and South Sydney — meaning we can typically match your participant with a clinician close to their home, reducing travel time and maximising clinical contact time.
Frequently Asked Questions for Support Coordinators
Do participants need a GP referral to access physiotherapy through their NDIS plan?
No — NDIS participants do not require a GP referral to access physiotherapy. You or the participant can refer directly to Bayside Mobile Physio.
Can I refer participants who are agency managed?
Bayside Mobile Physio currently works with plan managed and self managed participants. If your participant is agency managed, please contact us to discuss their specific situation.
How quickly can you commence with a new participant?
We typically commence within 48–72 hours of receiving a complete referral. For urgent referrals, contact us by phone to discuss priority scheduling.
What happens if a participant misses an appointment?
We contact the participant and support coordinator to reschedule. We understand that cancellations happen — we handle them professionally and without disruption to the ongoing program.
Can you provide physiotherapy for participants in SIL or SDA properties?
Yes — we regularly provide physiotherapy in SIL and SDA settings across Greater Sydney. Please include accommodation details in your referral.
How do I track the invoices for my participant’s physiotherapy?
Invoices are sent directly to the participant’s plan manager with all relevant details — participant name, NDIS number, support item number, date of service, and amount. You will be copied in on request.
Ready to refer a participant for in-home physiotherapy across Greater Sydney?
Submit a referral online at baysidemobilephysio.com.au/referrals-form or contact us directly — we’ll have your participant seen within 48–72 hours.
