Independent Assessments

Submission 90

Submission for NDIS Independent Assessments

deep Sir/Madam

I am very concerned about the introduction of the independent assessments for the NDIS. I have been getting together my application for the last three months and gathering evidence from my specialists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists.

My Specialist GP has known me for nine years and has been overseeing me for my chronic illness and knows my disability and how it affects me functioning from day to day.

I am very concerned that we are to be subject to an assessment where the individual assessor will use the same tool for everyone. He or she are not doctor’s or specialist’s and probably will be an allied health care worker, like a physiotherapist. They do not have the medical knowledge to assess someone just by sitting there with the individual for a few hours. One size fits all will not work. Everybody’s disability affects them differently in so many ways.

For a lot of us, having to sit for hours having questions asked, will cause enormous cognitive problems as many of us cannot sit and concentrate for that long without having cognitive symptoms that are disabling. The answers you get at that time may not reflect the true nature because the person being questioned is not up to the task.

Also having people, you do not know asking about your sex life is inappropriate. These things should be between yourself and the doctor who knows you.

How much money are these firms doing these assessments going to make?

Also not being able to appeal any decision is very wrong. everybody should have the right to appeal any decision.

I was in the Uk when the same thing occurred when the government there started using ATOS for independent assessing disability. What happened was that many people lost their disability payments and assessors were found to be not filling in the forms correctly, saying one thing to the individual and filling in the forms very differently. This was a way in which the government cut many off disabilities by stealth.

I am extremely concerned that this will happen here and the rights and concerns and help for disabled people will be ignored and this will just be a cost cutting exercise.

Yours Sincerely