A new survey has found more than half of the ACT's disability service providers believe the impact of the transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme has been negative.
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More than 150 community sector organisations answered the ACT Council of Social Service's request for a rating on the impact of the NDIS in the territory.
About 29 per cent felt the impact had been positive or strongly positive and one in three were neutral or unsure. More than 37 per cent believed it had been broadly negative, with 16.3 per cent of those describing it as "strongly negative".
Disability service providers were more divided in their opinion. More than a third described the impact of the NDIS as positive but 55.1 per cent said it was negative.
The survey, conducted in partnership with the University of New South Wales's Social Policy Research Centre, did not ask about respondents' specific concerns.
ACTCOSS chief executive Susan Helyar described the NDIS as critical and emphasised the community sector was in support of the scheme.
She said there needed to be a recognition from administration that the NDIS was the biggest change in social policy since Medicare and expressed concern its roll-out may undermine community confidence in the program.
"There's a bit of a lack of faith," Ms Helyar said.
"The IT system has been the most stark example of the government being unable to implement the system in a way which enables smooth transition.
"There have been other issues, like the fact the information, linkages and capacity building program is not up and running in the ACT until 2017."
A National Disability Insurance Agency spokeswoman pointed to the most recent NDIS Quarterly Report which showed that overall participant satisfaction with the scheme was at 85 per cent. The figure was higher in the ACT at 93 per cent.
"As at 30 September, more than $3 billion has so far been committed to support Australians with disability, with more than 40,000 people now having an NDIS plan or accessing early childhood early intervention supports, including 5046 people in the ACT," she said.
"The agency continues to work closely with providers and participants to ensure we build a strong NDIS into the future."
The number of registered NDIS providers double to 2016 in June this year. The NDIA has estimated the ACT will need up to 1500 more disability workers to meet demand once the scheme is fully implemented.
