Transitioning from Community NDIS to Private Practice

Hi Australian physios!

Has anyone here transitioned out of NDIS/community work into a more MSK-focused role (e.g. private practice, occupational/occ rehab, etc.)?

I started working in NDIS a few months ago (first job out) and also do some hospital work on the side, but I can’t shake the feeling that NDIS might not be the right fit for me. In some ways the clinical side can be quite straightforward, but the funding issues, admin load, and constantly needing to come up with creative interventions is starting to weigh on me.

The broader climate around NDIS roles doesn’t help either — high attrition, limited senior support, endless to-do lists, and KPIs that feel hard to consistently meet. I find it difficult to switch off after work because the list of things to follow up for clients just keeps growing while the actual time in the day to do anything outside appointments seems to shrink.

For those who moved into MSK, how difficult was the transition? I feel pretty out of touch with the MSK skills I learned at uni, and building confidence in that area again feels like a big hurdle.

Would love to hear if anyone’s been in a similar position or made the switch.