NDIA Accountability Project

Lack of duty of care from ambulance service and Mental Health Act concerns

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Spam: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012

From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: Spam: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Tuesday, 22 January 2013 4:40:20 PM

Please consider this email a formal submission by me to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012.

The current disability system has many problems that need to be addressed.

The Mental Health Act, as enacted across Australia, sees the polis able to enter my home, without a warrant, and with little clinical or personal skill.

The ambulance service needs to redress this lack of duty of care, and once again treat and transport us.

Psychiatrists who bulk bill are as rare as hens teeth, and this could be greatly improved. Patient led care and early intervention services would be grand, as would recovery and recreational centres.

Educating the public, high schools and workplaces about how ‘normal’ we are would be useful in fighting discrimination.

Affordable housing and respite for us and our families would be wonderful to see, in my lifetime.

The brutality of the health system is that it fails us, time and time again. We are not seen, not served by medicine, until it is almost too late. The slog back to health is made so much more difficult by the very harsh mistreatment of the psychiatrically affected, and the acutely mentally ill.

Together, as people, as a country, let’s look at how we can safely dismantle The Mental Health Act, and replace it with sound policy and procedure, that is above all, patient centred and community focused.

Main features of the NDIS that will make a difference to the community:

  • More opportunities to participate in the community,
  • More rights for people with a disability,
  • People with a disability can plan their lives and pursue their goals and dreams,
  • People with disability can choose who comes into their home,
  • The ability to receive services when needed and in the way that suits the person,
  • Increased ability to coordinate services to suit the “whole” person/family,
  • Minimising the number of times people have to tell their story in order to get support,
  • Less red tape, with planning done locally by people who know their community,
  • Access to reliable information about support options,
  • People with disability/family will influence the types of support and services offered

Most important services for the NDIS to provide are:

  • Therapy and allied health services,
  • Equipment and home/vehicle modifications,
  • Education support (technology/services/equipment),
  • Recreation and community access,
  • Support for families and carers,
  • Accommodation options,
  • Flexible in-home/outside home respite,
  • Crisis and emergency support,
  • Positive behaviour support and psychological services,
  • Interpreters and other communication support

Support for Introduction of the NDIS

I support the introduction of the NDIS.

I have hopes that this scheme will begin to fund the never ending battle and the many injustices and inequities that we disabled people encounter daily.

I agree for my submission to be made public

Regards,

Miss Fiona Thompson