The commonwealth ombudsman has cautioned the National DisabilityInsurance Agency over a plan to roll out controversial new “independent assessments” by the middle of the year.

In a submission to a parliamentary inquiry which is examining what some call the biggest change to the scheme since it began, the ombudsman, Michael Manthorpe, did not comment on the merits of the policy itself. But, in a warning about the speed of the change, Manthorpe noted: “The breadth of changes being introduced in a relatively short timeframe may present a challenge for the [agency], its partners and for participants, carers, advocates and service providers.