From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Friday, 21 December 2012 5:31:31 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.
working in a remote community , I have among my patients 3 young patients with significant disability . Given the remoteness of this location , it is very difficult to access any of the allied health services available in urban centres or any respite for their carers . Similarly when I worked in the NT , there were 2 children severely injured with resultant spinal problems for whom there were no public rehab services available because of their age as well as their remote locations. These cases highlighted for me the need for a more equitable distribution of services for people with special needs
The main features of the NDIS that will make a difference to the community are:
Ensure support and equipment is available when needed, Removal of age barriers to services for children, 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:
Life-skills, Employment support, Flexible in-home/outside home respite
I support the introduction of the NDIS.
There are too many people , especially young people for whom there is inadequate support . This impacts on entire families
I agree for my submission to be made public
Regards,
dr rosemary o’brien