How to write a useful NDIS provider review

Our Guide to Reviewing

By Tristram Peters · Originally published 17 April 2018

How participants can make a review specific and fair

Explain the support you used and one thing that mattered to you. You might describe whether visits happened as agreed or whether information was easy to understand. Separate what you experienced from what you think caused it. Avoid naming another participant or sharing health information that does not need to be public.

Say what you would keep or change. You do not have to post a review to justify changing providers. If the issue concerns unsafe support, use a complaint or safeguarding route as well. The Commission explains complaints about NDIS services.

Original article and dated context

Tristram Peters is a writer, editor, and disability advocate with a keen passion for sport. He recently represented Australia at the powerchair football world cup.

A few months ago, I was asked to provide feedback for one of my service providers as part of their annual audit. As I’m the sort of person who says yes to everything, I naturally agreed, even though…. *drumroll* I had a small piece of negative feedback. (On top of a whole heap of positive things to say, obviously.)

For some reason, I was anxious about it. Maybe it’s this sense that the service provider might find out it’s me and ask me questions. However, to ruin the suspense, they didn’t. Not only that, but based on my feedback, they made a specific change to their program that directly benefited me and other clients. Success!

We all know that reviewing matters and can make a positive change for so many of our peers, but how can you get the most out of the process? How can we remain anonymous if we want to or review critically if we need something changed? How do we review for change?

Well, that’s what this guide’s for! We explain the simplest tips for posting a review, specifically to our site – so read on and let us know your thoughts on writing reviews.

[Clickability update, September 2026: A pseudonym does not guarantee anonymity. Details of an event, location or support arrangement can identify someone, particularly in a small community. Consider what you are comfortable making public.]

Reviewing Anonymously

For many reasons, we often wish to remain anonymous when reviewing. That’s fair! We all have a right to privacy. But how do you remain anonymous when you’re living in a small country town (or a big town that thinks it is), or when you use a small service?

If you wish to remain anonymous, you’ll need to ensure you don’t have any identifiable info; here’s how you do it:

Find a secret name. Obviously, if you wish to remain anonymous, the first step when reviewing on Clickability is to choose a name other than your own – and to choose one that obviously excludes any reference to your pets, hobbies, or other identifiable info. E.g., did you know that Donald Glover chose his stage name Childish Gambino using a random name generator?
Remove identifiable info from your review. Creating a random name is one thing, but you also need to ensure your review itself has no identifiable info. For instance, don’t mention how long you’ve been using a service for, where you used the service, or specific peers or workers you participated in a program with.
Watch where you share. The other important facet is, after reviewing, watch where you share any content that might lead people to your review. That’s not to say you shouldn’t encourage others to review!

Although you might wish to remain anonymous, it’s not always a bad thing to be identifiable! Service providers use reviews to improve their services and love your feedback. I’ve often emailed my service providers with feedback and they’ve accepted it with enthusiasm. Still, for you, anonymity might be the name of the day and that’s cool too!

Reviewing Critically But Fairly

Because you might be anonymous, it doesn’t mean you shirk any responsibility to be truthful! For the many peers who might benefit from our reviews, or for the service providers who can use them to improve, we need to ensure that we review critically but fairly – at all times. This also gives you the biggest chance of making a difference.

You can find a heap of information on our website here and here, including these helpful pointers:

Be clear
Be detailed
Use a real world example
Make a suggestion about how to improve a service

You should also avoid the following:

Swearing or irrelevant information
Experiences that didn’t happen to you
Reviews that aren’t true
Reviews about your own organisation
Reviews intended to harm competitors

It’s important to note that Clickability checks reviews before they go up, so if it’s not quite right, we’ll get in touch and help you fix it up. We might also recommend that issues raised in your review might be better handled by the Police, Ombudsman or Complaints Commissioner.

[Clickability update, September 2026: Clickability’s help centre says reviews are checked against its guidelines before publication. Read the published review-checking guidance.]

Reviewing for Change

You’ve got the basic building blocks to write both an anonymous review and a critical yet fair one, but always remember the why. Your honest reviews are so important because they help others in the community make informed decisions about the services they use.

The best thing yet: you don’t need to wait to get started! You can write a quick review now or leave your details and we’ll ring you to take a phone review. Winner winner chicken dinner.

[Clickability update, September 2026: This describes an option offered in 2018. Use the current review-writing help page rather than assuming the old callback process is still available.]

Clickability editorial update: September 2026

When a family member helps someone share feedback

Agree whose experience the review represents and what the participant wants shared. If you write from your own perspective, make your role clear. Clickability asks supporters to explain their role.

Read the draft back in a format the person understands. Remove details they do not want public and avoid turning their words into a recommendation they did not make. Keep practical feedback specific enough to help another reader, without exposing unnecessary personal information.

For background on sharing service feedback through Clickability, read the historical review-feature introduction.

Questions readers ask

Can I guarantee nobody will recognise my review?

No. A different display name and fewer personal details can reduce identification, but someone may still recognise the situation.

Does Clickability check reviews before publication?

Its published help guidance says it checks reviews against its guidelines before publishing them. Official guidance

Can a carer write a review?

Clickability’s help guidance allows supporters to review and asks them to make their role clear. Respect the participant’s wishes about sharing their information. Official guidance

Use other people’s experiences in your next search

Read provider ratings and reviews alongside your own priorities. Tell Clickability what support you need to start finding your next NDIS provider.

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