Independent Assessments
Submission 344
I am a participant, and a carer of two participants.
I am worried about the independent assessments for many reasons. I have a history of being misunderstood by health professionals and therapists, and it has taken me a long time to find therapists that understand me, and that I trust enough to open up to tell my issues to. This will not happen in a 20 minute meeting with a stranger. As for having the assessor speak to my husband without me there, how rude. I am the person they are talking about; why are they talking about me and not TO me.
I see all three therapists mentioned who are to be assessors: physio, OT, and psychologist. However, aasking my physiotherapist about my autism and mental health or my psychologist about my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and muscle spasticity from multiple sclerosis seems ridiculous when NDIS pay for reports from specialists who actually specialise in each area.
Similarly with my children, one is selectively mute and one has behaviours. It is highly unlikely that an assessor will see what their therapists will have seen over the past few years or in making an indepth behaviour plan or functional assessment in one session with a stranger. They, on the other hand, will be thrilled to be asked to leave and have others talk for them because they won’t talk for themselves anyway. But what won’t happen is understanding the complexities between our situations, and whereas a report written by therapists who know us may be able to convey that somewhat, a yes/no tick a box done by a physiotherapy practitioner in a household full of people who see occupational therapy practitioners and psychologists simply won’t be appropriate.
Thank you