Online platform tappON has partnered with Black Dog Institute and SpinalCure Australia to give people with disabilities, including NDIS participants, more autonomy over selecting a service provider.

The platform was founded by Maryanne Harris and Daniel Hillyer, pictured, after experiencing first-hand the issues with the fragmented healthcare system, when Hillyer was made a quadriplegic following an accident in 2010. 

A spokesperson told F2L tappON is free for member and support professionals and businesses to use. Members pay for the services they book through tappON and there are no minimum hours, so they can be flexible with their hours.

Based in Wollongong, NSW, tappON offers a national service that bridges the gap between individuals and support workers. Using the discovery feature, members connect with support professionals based on qualifications, skills, experience and interest. tappON’s easy to use booking system allows for either face-to-face or telehealth appointments.

It offers personal care, gardening and allied health services, as well as connecting with preferred care workers and accessing specialist therapies such as art therapy and equine therapy.

The tappON members can select which organisation they want to support via the platform, and tappON will donate 1 per cent of their booking fee to either Black Dog Institute or SpinalCure Australia.

“Our mission as an organisation is to empower our members in every way possible, which is why we’re giving them a choice about which organisation they’d like to support,” Harris said.

“Black Dog Institute is the only medical research institute in Australia to investigate mental health across the lifespan, and this partnership is driving evidence-informed change in mental health where it’s needed most,” corporate partnerships manager, Tasman Cassim said.

And, with still so much unknown about spinal cord injuries and recovery, SpinalCure Australia collaborates with scientific advisors to identify and fund the most promising cure-focused medical research. “As an organisation, we understand the physical, mental and emotional toll a spinal cord injury can have on a person’s wellbeing, as four of our own SpinalCure directors live with a spinal cord injury,” CEO Kathryn Borkovic said.

To find out more about tappON and the opportunities it creates for members and care and support providers, visit: about.tappon.co/our-impact