Complex Wound Care on the NDIS: A Participant Guide
Complex wound care NDIS guide: what counts as a complex wound, who can dress it, what's funded vs health, and how to find a wound care nurse at home.
A wound that won't heal on its own — a pressure injury, a chronic ulcer, or a complex surgical site — needs careful, regular management to prevent it getting worse. If wound care is an ongoing part of living with your disability, the NDIS can fund the trained worker or nurse time and the dressings you need at home. This guide explains what counts as complex wound care, who's allowed to do it, and…
What makes a wound "complex"
Disability support or health treatment?
The wound management plan
Who can deliver wound care
How complex wound care is funded
Finding a wound care nurse or trained worker
Frequently asked questions
Will the NDIS fund my wound care?
The NDIS can fund ongoing wound care when it's a regular part of living with your disability, such as a chronic pressure injury or ulcer that needs regular dressing at home. It funds the nurse or trained-worker time and the dressings. The acute medical treatment of a new or deteriorating wound stays…
What makes a wound complex?
A complex wound is one that won't heal on its own and needs careful, ongoing management, such as a pressure injury, a chronic ulcer, or a complex surgical site. These need a wound management plan, the right dressings and regular review, rather than a simple plaster.
Can a support worker do my wound care, or does it need a nurse?
It depends on the wound and the task. A registered nurse assesses the wound, writes the wound management plan and does the more complex care. A support worker can carry out routine, stable dressing changes when trained and assessed as competent for your specific wound, under that nurse's oversight.
What is a wound management plan?
It's the written plan, usually prepared by a registered nurse or wound clinician, setting out exactly how your wound is cared for: the dressing, how often, what to watch for, and when to escalate. Workers follow it every time, and it's reviewed as the wound changes.
How is complex wound care funded in my plan?
Worker or nurse time comes from your Core budget, and dressings are funded as consumables. A clinician letter and the wound management plan provide the evidence that the care is disability-related, reasonable and necessary. Prevention equipment like a pressure mattress may be funded separately as…
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- How to Find a Support Worker Trained in High-Intensity Supports
- How the NDIS Funds High Intensity Daily Personal Activities (HIDPA)
- Questions to Ask About High-Intensity Support (Training, Safety & Evidence)
- High-Intensity Supports on the NDIS: A Participant & Family Guide