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NDIS Dietitian Providers

An NDIS dietitian provider is an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) who can help when your disability affects what you eat or how you eat. The NDIS calls this nutrition support. Depending on your needs, that could mean a personalised meal plan, regular check-ins or training for the people who support you. This support is usually funded through your Capacity Building budget.

On this page, we look at what an NDIS dietitian can help with, who may be eligible for support, how funding works and what the NDIS will not pay for.

If you are ready to explore your options, tell us what you are looking for. We can help you find dietitians who match your goals and circumstances.

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What Does an NDIS Dietitian Do?

Dietetics is an allied health service focused on food, nutrition and eating. An NDIS dietitian looks at what your body needs, but also at what will actually work in your everyday life. Together, you can come up with practical strategies that fit your routine.

The NDIA may fund nutrition support when your disability affects what you need to eat or the way you eat.

NDIS dietitian services may include:

  • Creating a nutritional meal plan built around your goals and routine
  • Reviewing and updating that plan as your needs change
  • Checking whether you are getting enough nutrition day to day
  • Advising on prescribed nutritional supplements
  • Supporting enteral feeding or PEG nutrition alongside your medical team
  • Working with your speech pathologist on safe eating and drinking
  • Training family, carers or support workers in your nutrition needs
  • Writing reports and assessments to support a plan reassessment

Dietitians are not registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). The profession regulates itself through the National Alliance of Self-Regulating Health Professions. When you are comparing providers, look for the Accredited Practising Dietitian credential and confirm it on the Dietitians Australia register.

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Who Can Get NDIS Dietitian Support?

You may be able to get nutrition support when your disability changes what you need to eat or makes eating more difficult. This can apply to people with physical, cognitive or psychosocial disabilities.

You may choose a dietitian if you want support to:

  • Eat well in a way that fits your routine and preferences
  • Build confidence with planning, shopping and preparing meals
  • Maintain your weight where your disability makes this harder
  • Manage enteral feeding or PEG nutrition at home
  • Eat and drink safely alongside advice from a speech pathologist
  • Give the people who support you clear, practical nutrition instructions
  • Gather evidence for a plan reassessment

What matters to the NDIA is the link between the support and your disability. If you are looking for general healthy eating advice, that will usually sit with the health system instead. As with any NDIS support, nutrition support also needs to meet the NDIS funding criteria.

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What Does Working with a Dietitian Look Like?

Sessions might happen at home, in a clinic, at school, out in the community or by telehealth. Often, the most useful setting is the place where meals and eating are already part of your routine.

A dietitian may help you:

  • Work out a meal plan you can realistically follow
  • Adjust meals around texture, sensory needs or appetite changes
  • Plan shopping lists and simple recipes
  • Build cooking and kitchen skills at your own pace
  • Set up routines for meals, snacks and hydration
  • Show your support workers how to follow your plan consistently
  • Review and adjust the plan over time

Your dietitian will let you know when it makes sense to review the plan. If your needs change, the NDIA may also fund a reassessment.

How Is Dietitian Support Funded Through the NDIS?

Dietitian appointments are usually paid for from your Capacity Building budget. In most plans, the funding comes from either Improved Health and Wellbeing or Improved Daily Living.

Related products and hands-on support are funded through other parts of your plan:

  • Enteral feeding products are included in your Core Consumables budget
  • A support worker helping with meal planning, shopping or preparation is funded from your core budget
  • Thickeners and other products for safe swallowing are funded as nutrition supports

Because every NDIS plan is different, it is worth checking yours before you book. If you are unsure whether dietetics is included, your support coordinator can help. You can also find the NDIA’s current price limits at ndis.gov.au.

What NDIS Dietitian Funding Does Not Cover

The NDIS will not fund nutrition support for a health condition unless it is connected to your disability support needs. That includes support for weight loss, eating disorders, food allergies, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome. These are generally treated through the health system instead.

There are a few other limits to keep in mind:

  • Food and groceries are an everyday cost, so you pay for these yourself
  • Meal preparation and delivery may be funded, but the food component must be separated from the cost
  • If the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme funds a supplement or formula, the NDIS will not
  • Medicare is responsible for nutrition supports while you are in hospital or a clinical setting

How Can an NDIS Dietitian Support Children?

For children, a dietitian can help with eating, growth, mealtime routines and nutrition that works for the whole family. They will often work alongside parents, carers, speech pathologists and occupational therapists.

A dietitian may support a child with:

  • Growth, appetite and getting enough nutrition
  • Expanding the range of foods they eat
  • Sensory needs around texture, temperature and taste
  • Mealtime routines at home, in early learning or at school
  • Enteral feeding or PEG nutrition
  • Practical strategies parents and carers can use every day

For children under 9, dietetics may be available through the NDIS early childhood approach. The aim is to support the child’s development and participation while giving families practical help they can use day to day.

How Care Decisions Helps You Find NDIS Dietitian Providers

Dietetics is a smaller field than occupational therapy or speech pathology, so finding someone with availability can take time. Care Decisions is a free, independent service that can help you see which NDIS dietitian providers are available near you.

We begin by asking what you need and what matters to you, along with practical details such as your location, age and plan management type. We then send you a shortlist of providers to consider in your own time.

We are not a support coordinator, part of the NDIA or a dietetics provider, and we do not rank the providers we suggest. The service is free, there is no obligation to choose anyone we send you, and the final decision is always yours.

How It Works

We can connect you with NDIS dietitians who have current availability and suit what you are looking for. Here is how the process works.

Step 1

Step 1

Let's Get Started

First, tell your dedicated NDIS matching specialist about your goals, location and preferences. That gives us a clear picture of the kind of provider who might suit you.

Step 2

Step 2

Get a Tailored Dietitian Options Report

Next, our local NDIS support specialists put together a personalised report. It includes dietitian providers with current availability who match your location, needs and preferred type of support.

Step 3

Step 3

Let Us Help You Make the Most of Your NDIS Plan

Once you receive the report, the providers will get in touch with you. We can also help you understand how the NDIS works and what supports may be available in your plan. If it is included, we can provide plan management too. Before choosing a provider, compare their prices and service options so you know what will work best for you.

Common Questions About NDIS Dietitians

Do I Need an NDIS Approved Dietitian?

The NDIA does not actually use the term "NDIS approved". If your plan is NDIA-managed, you need to choose a registered NDIS provider. If it is self-managed or plan-managed, you can use either a registered or unregistered provider. In either case, check that the dietitian has the Accredited Practising Dietitian credential.

If you’re looking for help with nutrition through your NDIS plan, start by checking for an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD). “Nutritionist” does not tell you what qualifications someone holds, and “NDIS approved nutritionist” isn’t a credential. Check the person’s qualifications, whether the support fits your plan and whether the provider can work with your plan management type.

Not on its own. The NDIA will not fund a dietitian for weight loss, diabetes or another health issue unless it is connected to your disability support needs. Your GP can assess your broader health needs, and Medicare may cover some short-term allied health nutrition support.

Yes, as part of a broader team. A dietitian can make sure you are getting enough nutrition from a modified diet, while a speech pathologist recommends the type and amount of thickener you need. The two often work together. You can also read about NDIS speech therapy providers.

If meal preparation support is included in your plan, you may be able to use that funding for meal preparation and delivery, but not for the food or ingredients. Before you agree to a service, ask the provider to show the food cost separately on the bill.

A good place to start is your support coordinator, local area coordinator or GP. You can also check a provider’s credentials on the Dietitians Australia register. If you would like help narrowing down the options, Care Decisions can connect you with local dietitians who have availability.

This page is general information only. It is not medical, dietary or financial advice. Funding decisions are made by the NDIA and depend on your individual circumstances. For current NDIS rules and pricing, visit ndis.gov.au.