How the NDIS Funds Pressure Care, Mattresses & Cushions

NDIS pressure mattress funding explained: how mattresses and cushions are funded as assistive technology, the OT assessment, quotes, and the worker time.

The NDIS can fund the pressure-relieving mattress or cushion that protects your skin, and the worker time to reposition you and check it — but they come from different parts of your plan and need different evidence. This guide walks through how pressure equipment is funded as assistive technology, the assessment that unlocks it, and how the worker support fits alongside.

Two parts: equipment and worker time

Mattresses and cushions are assistive technology

The OT or AT assessment that unlocks funding

Quotes, trials and replacement

Worker time for repositioning and skin care

The evidence you need

What to ask for at your planning meeting

Frequently asked questions

Does the NDIS fund a pressure-relieving mattress?

Yes. A pressure mattress or cushion is funded as assistive technology, usually from your Capital budget, when you are at risk of pressure injuries because of limited movement. It is separate from the worker time to reposition you and check your skin, which comes from Core.

Do I need an assessment to get a pressure mattress funded?

Generally yes. An occupational therapist or suitable assistive technology assessor evaluates your skin risk, mobility and needs, then recommends the right mattress or cushion and provides the evidence and quote the NDIA needs. Higher-cost equipment follows a more thorough assessment-and-quote path.

Does the NDIS pay for a worker to reposition me?

Yes. The worker time to reposition you regularly and check your skin comes from your Core budget. If repositioning is part of complex or high-intensity care, workers should follow a plan and, where skin integrity is a clinical risk, have nurse oversight.

Are pressure cushions for wheelchairs funded the same way?

Yes, a pressure-relieving cushion is also assistive technology, assessed and funded alongside your seating and mobility needs. An occupational therapist typically prescribes it as part of matching the right cushion to your body, your chair and your pressure risk.

What evidence gets pressure equipment approved?

An occupational therapist or assistive technology assessment documenting your pressure-injury risk and why the specific equipment is reasonable and necessary, plus a supplier quote. If you also need repositioning support, a care plan showing how often and by whom helps justify the Core worker hours.

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