Submission No 280
INQUIRY INTO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME AND THE PROVISION OF DISABILITY SERVICES IN NEW SOUTH WALES
Name: Name suppressed Date Received: 13 August 2018
Partially Confidential
13 August 2018
Portfolio Committee No.2 Health and Community Services Inquiry into the implementation of NDIS Hon Greg Donnelly Hon Paul Green Hon Scott Farlow Hon Courtney Houssos Hon Shayne Mallard Hon Bronnie Taylor Hon Dawn Walker
I am writing to provide feedback to contribute to the “Inquiry into the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme”.
I would like to address item (b) of the Terms of Reference: the experience of people with complex care and support needs in developing, enacting and reviewing NDIS plans.
My 64 year old sibling has a lifelong intellectual disability, which as she has grown older impacts on her physical functional capacity. Her disability has been recognised by government agencies from a young age, with her initial NDIS plan development acknowledging her disability and how this impacts on her capacity. NDIS initially assessed my sister to need 10 hours per week of one on one support to empower her to continue to live independently. Prior to the initial NDIS assessment, ADHC has determined my sister needed this level of support, and she has received this level of support for over a decade. It is difficult to understand how an NDIS worker is able to determine this reduction in support when no direct communication or observation of the client occurred. It should also be noted my sister’s functional capacity has declined over this period.
The NDIS plan review which occurred in June 2018 and is effective from August 2018 has now assessed my sister as needing a reduced level of one on one support; that being 3 hours per week.
NDIS provided an explanation for this reduction reporting it is due this 64 years old woman’s increased capacity to lift her head to enable her to breathe with decreased obstruction and her mastering “basic functional primal movement patterns”. No reference was made to an increase in her intellectual capacity.
The workers responsible for this decision did not observe or engage in any direct conversation with my sibling or any of the professionals that currently provide services, such as Occupational Therapist, doctors or physiotherapists.
My sibling, a client of NDIS has a supportive family; however in a situation where the client does not have access to people to support this difficult and complex process, their case may go unheard with a significant decrease in their quality of life.
The publications developed by the NDIS to promote their program often use phrases to indicate their philosophy is to “help people with disability achieve their goal”, and implement safeguards to
ensure “NDIS participants should have choice and control over their lives with no risk of harm, abuse, neglect or exploitation”. I feel the worker responsible for the decision to reduce supports for my sibling in this manner has demonstrated neglect to exploit a person with a disability.
Secondly, publications accessible to the wider community clearly state NDIS plans are reviews every 12 months. During the review meeting, the NDIS Planner confirmed this 12month time frame for review. However the NDIS plan delivered, with the reduced hours of support, stated this timeframe had been extended to 24 months.
I feel this process is contradictory of NDIS Market Approach Statement of Opportunity and Intent published November 2016 which states on page 21 the process will “be transparent and communicated to the market.”
I am disappointed in the processes and the communication between all stakeholders, as I feel they are not designed to support the most vulnerable in our community to access services to empower and support. It appears the process is designed to further isolate and discriminate this cohort of our community.
Finally, such as organisation as NDIS reported these decisions, via the non government organisation NDIS planner, in language that was confusing. I feel the service provided in this instance contravenes the objectives stated in the NDIS Service Charter which states the “NDIS aims to give people with disability better access to personalised, high quality and innovative supports and services.
Thank you for your assistance and commitment to improving the processes of the NDIS.