FREE FREIGHT AUSTRALIA WIDE FOR ORDERS OVER $139
Navigating Your NDIS Journey with First Aid Distributions: A Guide to Getting Started
If your NDIS plan includes funding for consumables, getting set up to buy them should be one of the simpler parts of managing it. This guide to ordering consumables on the NDIS covers what to check in your plan, how the three plan management types change the way you pay, and the steps to set up and place your first order with us. First Aid Distributions is a registered NDIS provider, and we supply first aid, wound care, continence and daily living consumables to participants across Australia on one account, one order and one invoice.
Start with what your plan covers
Consumables are the low cost items you use regularly, like wound dressings, gloves and continence products. In most plans they sit under Core Supports. Before you order anything, check your plan or ask your plan manager how much of your budget is set aside for consumables and what it can be spent on.
Funding is never automatic, and what one participant can claim isn't the same as the next. Your plan, your plan manager, or your support coordinator is the right place to confirm what your funding covers. The current rules are set out in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, published on the NDIS website.
Know how your plan is managed
How your plan is managed decides how you pay us and what you need to set up first. There are three options, and you might have more than one across different parts of your plan.
Self-managed. You pay providers yourself and claim the cost back through the myplace participant portal. You can buy from any supplier, so you can order from us online the same way you'd shop anywhere else, then keep the invoice for your claim.
Plan-managed. A registered plan manager handles payments for you. You send us your order, we invoice your plan manager directly, and they pay us from your funding. You can use registered or unregistered suppliers under this arrangement.
Agency-managed (NDIA-managed). The NDIA pays providers directly from your budget, and agency-managed funding generally needs to be spent with NDIS-registered providers. We're a registered provider, so send us your order with your service agreement and we'll manage the billing from there.
If you're not sure which type applies to you, your plan manager or support coordinator can tell you. You can also read how everything from first contact through to delivery works for NDIS participants in our separate guide.
Set up your account with a service agreement
A service agreement records what you're buying and how it will be paid for. It's a one off setup that keeps your future orders straightforward.
Download the NDIS service agreement from our NDIS page, fill in your details, and email it to info@firstaiddistributions.com.au along with your first order. Once it's on file, repeat orders are quick to process. Support coordinators and plan managers ordering on a participant's behalf can complete the same agreement.
How ordering consumables on the NDIS works
If you're self-managed, browse the range, add what you need and check out online. Keep the invoice for your portal claim.
If you're plan-managed or agency-managed, email your order with your completed service agreement. We process it in line with your plan and invoice the right party, so you don't have to chase the paperwork. Either way, you order across our full range on a single account, with one order and one invoice rather than separate accounts for different product types.
What you can order
NDIS participants order a wide mix of consumables from us, including wound care supplies, disposable gloves, continence products and general first aid items. If continence supplies are a regular part of your order, our guide to choosing an NDIS supplier for continence products is worth a read, and so is our overview of NDIS aids that support daily living.
Consumables are repeat purchases, so once your details are on file, reordering is quick. Orders dispatch from our East Bendigo warehouse and our Sydney fulfilment centre, so they reach participants right across the country.
Talk to our team
You don't have to work it out alone. Our team can talk you through plan management types, the service agreement, or a first order on 03 5443 2239, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm AEST, or by email at info@firstaiddistributions.com.au. If you're local, you're welcome to visit the shop at 205 Murphy Street, East Bendigo. We're a family owned Australian business and have supplied first aid and medical products since 2011.
Frequently asked questions
Does my support coordinator or plan manager order for me?
Yes. A support coordinator or plan manager can place orders and complete the service agreement on a participant's behalf. We invoice the plan manager or the NDIA directly, depending on how the plan is managed.
I'm self-managed. How do I claim the cost back?
Keep the invoice we send with your order and submit your claim through the myplace participant portal. Payment for self-managed orders is made at the time you order, the same as any online purchase.
Do I need to be on agency-managed funding to buy from First Aid Distributions?
No. Self-managed and plan-managed participants can both order from us. Agency-managed funding is the one that generally needs to be spent with NDIS-registered providers, and we're a registered provider, so check with your plan manager if you're unsure.
Is there a minimum order, and what does delivery cost?
There's no minimum order. Orders over $139 ship free, and smaller orders attract a standard flat rate at checkout.