Complex Wound Care as a NDIS High Intensity Support

From February 2025, complex wound care was elevated to a standalone High Intensity Daily Personal Activity (HIDPA) under the revised NDIS High Intensity Support Skills Descriptors. This change means that dressing changes, pressure injury management, and wound monitoring now require the same RN oversight framework as other HIDPA supports.

For registered NDIS providers in Perth, this means any support worker assisting a participant with wound care now requires a participant-specific wound care plan developed by a Registered Nurse, and a documented competency assessment on file.

What TrustCare Delivers

• Wound assessment using the TIME framework — Tissue type, Infection/inflammation, Moisture balance, Edge of wound — at every clinical attendance
• Participant-specific wound care plans — NDIS Practice Standards-compliant, updated whenever wound status changes
• Evidence-based dressing management — selection matched to wound type, exudate level, and healing phase
• Pressure injury prevention and management — risk assessment (Braden/Waterlow scale), prevention plans, staging documentation
• Clinical photography with consent — documented wound measurement at every visit for continuity and audit
• Support worker wound care training — individual training and documented competency assessment per worker per participant
• Wound specialist referral — escalation pathway when wounds require specialist vascular, tissue viability, or hospital review

Common Wound Types in NDIS Participants

• Chronic leg ulcers (venous, arterial, or mixed aetiology)
• Pressure injuries (Grades I–IV) — particularly common in participants with limited mobility or incontinence
• Post-surgical wounds requiring community follow-up
• Diabetic foot ulcers
• Traumatic wounds in participants with complex health conditions
• Skin tears and moisture-associated skin damage

Who Can Refer

TrustCare accepts wound care referrals from registered NDIS providers, support coordinators, and plan managers. We do not accept direct referrals from self-managed participants — all referrals must come through a registered provider or coordinator.

NDIS Funding for Wound Care

• Community Nursing Care — Registered Nurse (Group 0114): $123.65/hr weekday daytime (2025-26) — RN-delivered wound assessment and dressing management
• High Intensity Daily Personal Activities (Group 0107): $76.09/hr weekday daytime — support worker delivering wound care under RN supervision and delegation

Funded from the participant's NDIS plan, not the registered provider's operational budget.

When to Escalate

TrustCare's RN will escalate to a wound specialist, GP, or emergency services when wounds show signs of: systemic infection (fever, cellulitis); osteomyelitis risk; non-response after 4 weeks of appropriate treatment; exposed tendon, bone, or joint; or arterial/vascular insufficiency requiring specialist assessment.