My name is David Simpson and I would like to share my story in an appeal to reconsider the introduction of so called “Independent Assessments” into the NDIS.
I care for 3 family members and have been a carer for 37 years. I care for my son, a courageous person who thrives in life despite living with cerebral palsy and visual impairment. My daughter, the strongest person I have ever met, who, at the age of 22, contracted influenza whilst studying at University and ultimately required a heart transplant and is now living and dying of heart failure for a second time. I now also care for my 50 year old sister who has always suffered functional impairments and who fell into crisis following a stoke early in 2020. These 3 remarkable people strive every day to gain the most out of their lives and instil a sense of meaning both for them selves as well as the people they encounter on their journey through life.
My son has been an NDIS participant for several years. My sister has become an NDIS participant this year. My daughter is not a participant as we would rather provide her care personally in the limited time she has and not waste it on bureaucratic processes.
Firstly I would like to state that I feel that the NDIS is the most remarkable thing that has happened to people with disabilities lives. It is absolutely life changing for the participants and despite the achallenges of navigating the processes, delivers an opportunity for vulnerable people in our society tto lead proud and meaningful lives. Not just improving their lot but also contributing to the greater community.
Wwas somewhat sceptical during the initial roll out. Having repeatedly endured endless assessments of the people in my family, and for that matter my family itself, over the last 37 years only to be told that yes their was “a very strong need but unfortunately their was few resources”. I have since had to change my view. By providing “reasonable and necessary” individualised support, the NDIS oprovides a platform for individuals to craft a meaningfull and independent life. This is not easy process, for the participants or their carers, because there will always be many challenges along the way, but we do not seek easy. We simply seek a fair go without excessive bureaucratic hurdles bbeen placed in our way.
My job, as a carer, is to see that the people I care for thrive. My time is in great demand and it is not my job to pander to public servants trying to justify their existence. A deep understanding of “Functional Impairment” is a necessary tool in my job, as well as being a reasonable requirement of funding agencies. These functional assessments, while necessary, are somewhat counter-intuitive. You spend the majority of your time putting a positive spin on an individuals life, reinforcing ongths and achievements, it is then occasionally necessary to be bluntly honest about an individuals short comings and deficits in order to truly understand the full situation. This can be q uite a soul destroying process if not kept in balance.
The proposed introduction of “Independent Assessments” brings great concerns:
- The proposed assessors would be employees of of a small number of large corporations that have won NDIA tenders. The renewal of these tenders would be dependant on assessors rperforming in the NDIA’s interests. These assessments are currently carried out by a large umber of truly independent and highly qualified professionals who seek to make assessments a true reflection of a persons functional capacity. Yes there has been availability lssues in some isolated areas and strong demand because of the initial roll out bringing 400,000 participants into the NDIS. These are issues that can be addressed without
- compromising an already successfully functioning system and throwing out 400,000 assessments. Effectively you would be saying that a significant number of highly trained professionals in this country are incapable of doing their job!
- These so called “independent assessments” will not be review-able decisions. An assessment of a persons functional capacity and their eligibility to enter the NDIS will be determined by a NDIA contractor with no right of appeal. Then a NDIA delegate will determine your budget based upon this non-re-viewable assessment. How can this possible be deemed independent?
- The implication is that participants and their carers are somehow trying to “game the system”. We, carers, and people with disabilities are not bludgers! We are heavy lifters in society. Carrying out our work, or just struggling to survive and lead a reasonable existence, for no personal gain whatsoever. If we had any desire for self advancement or financial betterment we would walk away from the people we care for and leave the whole mess for the government to solve. I am not so sure the same can be said for the officials that we have to deal with on a daily basis.
- The NDIS was designed in consultation with people living with disabilities, their carers and their families. Now we have the NDIA trying to force through changes for bureaucratic expediency. A department populated, by no small amount, by staff from previous, broken systems. The NDIS was meant to be about “reasonable and necessary” support for people living with disabilities. Not about convenient NDIA procedures. Living with a disability is not convenient!
- This whole proposal seems focused on placing people in boxes. Disabilities are incredible complex, often taking years or even decades to fully fathom. Even if you had 400,000 boxes to categorise the 400,000 current participants, there would be still some that did not fit.