Independent Assessments
Submission 307 - Attachment 2
Submission by Rebecca Hocking, Maylands WA. 19th February 2021.
About the Accuracy of Independent Assessments
I have questions around the independent assessments. I don’t feel that in the space given would be able to give an accurate depiction of my needs as a person. I look perfectly healthy and normal. However, I have a lot of troubles with autism. I also don’t feel it would be good in the situation of my father who has Parkinsons disease and my mother doesn’t fight for his needs in the way that would be preferable. My OT’s and stuff, they know me, but the reality is a psychologist and my GP really know me well. Getting 2 minutes or say a half an hour, that is not enough to be able to get a full description of my needs or a full description of who I am. Especially with my learning challenges that I’m very impacted by. I have special conditions such as low muscle tone, that for my heavy lifting, I have a support worker and a lot more to do the things that I am not able to do independently, so I’m able to go to appointments for example such as new employment agency appointment. I’m also able to go and do things like getting a photo getting a photo ID card. I’m able to do all of that independently, especially as my mother is ageing and turned 60 this year. And as it’s now getting to the stage where I need extra support other than Mum and Dad thank you.
About Independent Assessments Being Mandatory
I think there needs to be a lot more thinking about these assessments, and the way it is being done angers me, especially around psychosocial disabilities. The truth of the matter is that as I sit here today, and I give you my independent assessment submissions. I would not be able to do this question six months ago due to being very very episodic, violent an aggressive. It was not safe to have me in the car or on public transport if that person had to go. Are you going to provide them with the psychology that they’re going to need to go to that assessment? And also, how are you? Are you then going to judge the person if they come in and they start throwing things around the room? Are you then going to go well, sorry, we are not going to give you a plan. Or the person comes in in a really good frame of mind that day. They may have one good day in a 6-month period are you then going to go right? Lets give him the low plan, so I don’t think the assessment should be mandatory, especially when looking at people who have and people who already have current NDIS plans. I think the mandatory rules should be scrapped or if they are going to do it, it should be purely and simply on a very very case-by-case basis.
About the Independent Assessments not being a Reviewable Decision.
So with regards to the Assessment being reviewed. I would need my assessment to be able to be reviewed. It has taken two years to get an NDIS plan that suits my needs. From my standpoint, I have a husband who is amazing but he does not have a plan that suits his needs. As I currently speak on the 18th of February 2021. He needs a lot more support than he is currently receiving.
So if for example you were to take my support worker away, especially as my mum is aging and I don’t have a car and I don’t plan to get my driver’s licence due to a history mental health, especially jumping out of cars. If that decision was not reviewable, and say I was going through a bit of a rough time, especially preparation for around the prospect of my father passing away and the struggle that I still have dealing with the grieving process of him going into aged care. If that decision is not reviewable then I can’t put forward my point for someone to be able to talk about my problems.
I can’t say I need psychology, I need the OT, and I need someone to talk about my problems with. I don’t have a lot of friends I can just go to a gossip about and talk about the latest things with. So that’s what really angers me. The decision needs to be reviewable.