From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Friday, 21 December 2012 6:18:44 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.
current system is competetive - funding rounds are protracted and pts have to compete with other disabilities for funding to access services. This has led to : 1] longer hospital stay - up to many months , till next funding round comes around. this is a very expensive way to manage rehabilitation services. It blocks beds, young people who need services are sent into nursing homes or are given services which do not meet their needs. young pople with new disabilities are not given the opportunity to recieve the right intensity of treatment, because beds are blocked. this has profound effects on their ability to return to independent living.
2]young disabled living at home- unable to get services and equipment , in timely manner ,that allows them to maintain their independence at home. young person deteriorates to a level when they have to be admitted into a acute hospital bed. They are placed in the first available community service, to clear hospital beds. This discharge is often not near family and friends , often in unfamiliar surroundings. the young person has very little say in this.
3 ] Assessment for correct equipment and services is made by well meaning family, friends and non qualified support workers. To put in place appropriate services and equipment that will service the client for next 5 to 10 years , does take a level of experience and expertise. Good intentions costs society at large and burden of care falls back on proffessionals.
3] Young people with disability , moving outof family home and into independent living, are not assessed by a cohort of people who are able to assess service needs ,for the now and into the future - at least up to next 5 years, if not 10 years. this has led to poor planning , physical and emotional trauma to the young person and much higher cost to society due to the scurry for emergency funding and services.
4] Aging and aging with a disability is inevitable. Needs of a person aging with a disability is very different from a disability in the first 16-18 years of life. Assessment of needs and services is not coordinated nor planned- it is usually adhoc. There needs to be a Pathway that allows for:
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assessment from proffessionals with experience,
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followed by discussion and planning with family , client and community service providers and funding services.
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discussion about regular reviews, worked into the plan for every individual.
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decision regarding duty of care when moving a client from low care to high care. This planning must be for the immediate needs, next 5 years and plan for the next 10 years. This is never done.
Accountability of how public money is spent, by service providers , both proffessionals and paid carers and care agencies ,is very poor. Families appear to be powerless to get accountability - in case they are “ black listed“ by care agencies. This problem is greater when care agency is apparently providing appropriate day care for a client. Decision as to what is appropriate day care, is not made with what is best for the client, it appears to be driven by what is economical to the agency.
Decisions for services to a client and family, appear to be centre based, not in the clients current or future surroundings. It also involves protracted red tape - numerous forms and very long periods of time to make a decision, which can go any which way . Information from family that impacts on their privacy , especially when other children are in the family.
There is a great need to ensure there are rules and regulations, but there must be flexibility to cater for vrious need profiles. It will be less expensive in the long term.
The main features of the NDIS that will make a difference to the community are:
The ability to receive services when needed and in the way that suits the person, Less red tape, with planning done locally by people who know their community, 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:
Therapy and allied health services, Support for families and carers, Case management, planning and coordination
I support the introduction of the NDIS.
1] Service for all those who need it , will be equitable and in a timely manner.
2] Services will be flexiable and change with the needs of the client.
3] Services can be maintained where ever the client goes- Australia wide.
4] There will be accountability across the board- accountability for monies spent, accountability for quality of service and care provided and accountability for decision making and decisions made.
5 ] Families, professionals and service providers are not in competition with each other.
I agree for my submission to be made public