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

From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Wednesday, 23 January 2013 3:19:02 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.

There are aspects of the system which work for our adult son with cerebral palsy and ourselves. The successful area is the ISP. However, the service providers are often problematic. e.g.

• Lack of qualified, well trained (and properly paid) and appropriate carers.
• Attitudes of some service providers (still in the charity model mode).
• Restrictions on care/nursing staff as to what tasks they can perform (OH&S gone made)
• Lengthy wait for some equipment
• Very limited recreation and leisure activities for adults with physical disabilities.
• General fragmentation of services
• Out of hours/emergency assistance

The main features of the NDIS that will make a difference to the community are:

Ensure support and equipment is available when needed, The ability to receive services when needed and in the way that suits the person, Older parents and families will not worry what happens when they can no longer provide support

The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:

Equipment and home/vehicle modifications, Accommodation options, In-home care and domestic assistance

I support the introduction of the NDIS.

I BELIEVE it places people with disabilities in a more mainstream position (all of society contributing as ANYONE in society could become disabled at any time). e.g. Medicare: we are not all sick all the time, but we pay for the insurance to cover all members of society.

It MAY have the capacity to move away from the issue of people with a disability being a minority group and therefore not in an empowered position. Over time this may improve attitudes to people with disabilities. This may contribute to a sense of equality.

I HOPE it will have the capacity to decrease the fragmentation of services.

I HOPE that services will actually timely and appropriate rather than these words remaining as just words. e.g. children growing out of equipment by the time they finally get it OR families having to fundraise to provide their family member with appropriate equipment when they need it, not 9 months later.

Having worked in disability for over 30 years as well as having a son with CP I have seen unbelievable waste. If this is planned well, it may prevent waste of money & resources

I agree for my submission to be made public

Regards,

Ms Maggie Matheson