Catch up with our recent Fireside Chat with Simone Newsham, CEO of NASCA and Debbie Hughes, CEO NZDSN with the session recording and AI summary.

• Read the NZDSN Q+A response here
• Download the presentation slides

The NZDSN Fireside Chat held on 8 April 2026 focused on introducing new assessment and allocation tools for disability support services, specifically the OBIA (Outcome-Based Indicative Range) and BAT (Band Allocation Tool). The meeting included detailed presentations by Simone Newsham, CEO of NASCA, who explained the processes and implications of these tools for service delivery. Concerns were raised about the adequacy of these tools for individuals with complex needs and the consistency of needs assessments across NASCs. The meeting concluded with a call for greater transparency in the funding allocation process and further training for assessors.

The discussion also addressed the ongoing fuel crisis and its impact on the sector, with updates on advocacy efforts by NZDSN with DSS and MSD for broader funding relief measures.

👉 Key takeaways

• Introduction of OBIA and BAT Tools: Simone Newsham provided an overview of the new OBIA and BAT tools, explaining their role in determining funding allocations for disability support services.
• OBIA Process Overview: The OBIA tool involves a pre-assessment letter sent to individuals, followed by an interview and discussion. Information is gathered through a qualitative, strength-based approach, recorded in the OBIA tool, and then used to calculate an indicative funding range.
• Indicative Range Calculation: The indicative range generated by OBIA is currently calculated externally by DSS with NASC input. In the future, this calculation will be automated within the OBIA tool itself.
• Consistency in Needs Assessment: NASCs have flexibility in how they gather information from disabled individuals and their whanau, but the information entered into the OBIA tool is standardized to ensure consistency in funding decisions.
• Concerns About Complex Needs: Some attendees expressed concerns that the OBIA tool may not adequately address the needs of individuals with complex disabilities. Simone Newsham emphasized that the tool includes specific questions about safety and clinical needs.
• Training and Inter-Rater Reliability: The rollout of the new tools has been rapid, leading to concerns about training quality. DSS is currently reviewing initial assessments to ensure consistency across NASCs.
• Transparency with Providers: Providers may receive narrative parts of the OBIA or BAT outcomes if the disabled person consents to share their information. DSS is working on making GPT assumptions more transparent.
• Fuel Crisis Update: NZDSN is actively lobbying for government support to address fuel cost increases impacting disability support services. A survey has been distributed to gather data for advocacy efforts with Government.
• Government Response to Fuel Crisis: While a 30% increase in the in-between travel funding has been applied to home and community support contracts, other disability support services providing similar services have not received similar relief. NZDSN is advocating for broader application of this increase across the sector.
• Cost of Living Concerns: The fuel crisis is exacerbating cost-of-living challenges for providers and support workers. NZDSN is engaging with DSS to ensure these issues are considered in future funding decisions.

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