These frequently asked questions (FAQs) for professionals explain what is changing to VoiceAbility’s referral process from 1 October 2026.
- What changes are being made to VoiceAbility’s referral process?
From Thursday 1 October, 2026, VoiceAbility will no longer accept referrals from professionals submitted by email. Instead, all referrals must be submitted using the appropriate online referral form, which will be available on our voiceability.org website.
- What if I’m unable to use the referral form on VoiceAbility’s website?
Telephone and web chat support is available for professionals who require assistance completing an online referral, including those with accessibility needs.
- What if I need to send a document as well?
Should I email that?
Where a document is required for a specific type of advocacy, it must be uploaded at the time the online referral is submitted.
- Will referrals for all advocacy types be made using online referral forms?
Yes, all referrals from professionals will be made via our website.
- How will this be managed for out of area referrals (including spot purchase) that do not sit within your service areas?
Out of area referrals will also be made via our website, using a separate online referral link which will be added to the main referral webpage. The separate link will be for out of area referrals only.
- What happens if I send a referral by email after this change on 1 October?
The email referral will not be accepted, and you will be asked to complete an online referral. Telephone and web chat support is available for professionals who require assistance completing an online referral, including those with accessibility needs.
- What about clients making referrals?
Clients will still be able to access our services via telephone if this is their preferred method of communication. We also offer web chat, enabling them to speak directly with a member of our team, and in person at agreed times/locations.
- Why are you making this change to referrals?
Our new online referral forms have been designed to capture all of the mandatory information required to create a referral at the point of submission.
Once a form is submitted, the information is transferred automatically into our case management system, creating an enquiry almost instantly. This eliminates the need for manual data entry, reduces administrative processing, and enables referrals to be reviewed and progressed more quickly.
We are committed to continuously improving our accessibility, process times and overall customer experience.
- Who has been told about this upcoming change to the referral process?
All professionals who have submitted a referral to VoiceAbility in the past 12 months (using appropriate contact details/those who have not opted out of our emails) have been contacted about this change. Commissioners for our services have also been contacted. Information about the change will also be published on our website.