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“Make yourself heard!” Why Kerri-Anne Kennerley is suing the government

Kerri-Anne Kennerley is taking a stand for older Australians, with plans to sue the Federal Government. After her husband John suffered a fall over a garden hedge and became a quadriplegic, he required 24/7 care. However, Kerri-Anne and John quickly found out that they wouldn’t be receiving support from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), all because of their age. Instead, they and many others aged over 65 who are disabled were put into the My Aged Care package for senior Australians. Under the scheme, John received ten hours of care a week. “It was pathetic,” Kerri-Anne said. Though she and John were able to afford the extra help he needed, many Aussies aren’t as lucky. Helen Bonning is one of those people, who is in a wheelchair and receives just a few hundred dollars a year from the scheme to go towards helping her in her daily life. In comparison, someone with her level of disability who is under 65 years old would receive about $80,000 a year. “If you were declined the NDIS because of your colour, age or sexual orientation there’d be a public outcry,” she said. “But it seems it’s OK to discriminate against age?” The differences between the NDIS and My Aged Care often means many older Australians are going without the equipment and care they need. “My wheelchair needs to be upgraded every five years, it costs $25,000. The hoist to get me out of bed is $10,000. I just don’t have that sort of money,” Helen said. This lack of support for older Australians is why Kerri-Anne has led her support to the cause of getting them some fairness, urging all of us to “make yourself heard”. “So many people will be affected in the future,” she said. “So many people are affected now … make some noise!” Image: Kerri-Anne Kennerley / Instagram

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"Life is precious": Scott Morrison in tears over Aged Care reform

Prime Minister Scott Morrison appeared to get emotional while addressing the report on the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. With 147 recommendations made to fix the broken sector, Mr Morrison tearfully committed at least $452 million in funding. “Life is to be lived every single second, every single minute. It is precious. This is something I have believed my entire life, life is precious,” he told reporters from Kirribilli House. “You don’t wait it out. And the fact that Australians feel they are waiting out their life, it’s impossible to put into words how you respond to that.” "So generational change is needed. I thank the commissioners because they're honest because they know there are no easy fixes." <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840076/scott-morrison-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c5bed4ab76bf469c81d96bda13373b57" /> The report was over 200 pages long, Health Minister Greg Hunt said when it was released. He went on to say the Aged Care Act of 1997 would be torn up, telling reporters: “That will be a significant process but it’s based on a simple concept of respect for the individual, instead of being about providers, instead of it being about money.” The half a billion dollar funding package will aim to tackle five key areas head on within the aged care sector: Home care, residential aged care quality and safety, residential aged care services and sustainability, workforce and governance. The Prime Minister said the future of aged care will not be in retirement homes, but in managed care within somebody's home. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840077/scott-morrison.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4dc653cad8684f26a02fa9b24809b291" /> "The future, substantively, overwhelmingly, particularly over time, will not be in facilities. They'll be in people's homes. And there will be a range of supports that are provided," Mr Morrison said. "Not unlike how you see individual care packages developed for people under the NDIS."

News

Karl Stefanovic lets rip on children’s deaths

Today host Karl Stefanovic has delivered a scathing message into the much-maligned National Disability Insurance Scheme, labelling it a “national disgrace”. A story published by the Adelaide Advertiser this morning revealed the scheme was particularly bad in South Australia, with the southern state enduring the longest wait time for NDIS support packages. South Australians are having to wait over 200 days to receive support, with kids younger than six waiting seven months to be helped by the government. The abysmal national statistics also revealed over the last three years, 1279 people had died while waiting for support from the scheme. Among the 1279, 65 of those deaths were children – 35 of whom were aged six and under. Stefanovic described the deaths as “disturbing”. “More than 400 people have died every year waiting for access to the NDIS. 65 children, 35 of whom are under six years of age. It’s unbelievable,” he said. “Late last year the minister in charge Stuart Robert said waiting times categorically weren’t a problem. If 65 people dying in this are children, if those figures are to be believed isn’t a problem, then you need help minister.” Speaking to ABC Radio late last year, Mr Robert said that he had reduced waiting times for the NDIS. “Waiting times, when I came not the portfolio, in terms of access to a plan, were 130 days. And they have come right down now into the 80s. So, they’re coming down as well,” he said in November. “Importantly, after the election there were over 13,000 Australians waiting over 21 days for access into the NDIS. That, of course, now is zero. There is no waiting list for people to access into the NDIS scheme.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> "If 65 children dying in this country... isn't a problem, then you need help Minister." <a href="https://twitter.com/karlstefanovic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@karlstefanovic</a> has launched a scathing critique of Minister Stuart Robert after it was revealed 1,200 people died while waiting for NDIS access. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9Today?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9Today</a> <a href="https://t.co/X10gH9O5XC">pic.twitter.com/X10gH9O5XC</a> — The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow/status/1217177763884470272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">14 January 2020</a></blockquote> When the question was raised whether complaints from service providers about wait times were wrong, Mr Robert doubled down. “It’s a large scheme and there’s a lot of people all over the country. And I look at the big macro numbers at the top and I know categorically there is no-one waiting for access,” he said. Issuing a statement to Today this morning, Mr Robert said the government was “focusing on improving access decision times for the NDIS”. The government also referenced data from December 31 last year that showed access decisions were taking “on average four days to complete”. “I’m not sure where he’s living,” Stefanovic responded. “Those facts aren’t right for a lot of people across this country.” Labor’s NDIS spokesman and former Labor leader Bill Shorten also said there needs to be “more staff and accountability”. “It’s disgraceful more than 1200 people died before receiving equipment or care they needed,” Shorten said. “Well said Bill Shorten,” Stefanovic added. “Those figures are a national disgrace.”

News

Changing NDIS: What you need to know

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Minister Stuart Robert this month announced a number of “practical changes” to the scheme. Acknowledging the NDIS is not consistently living up to expectations, he said these improvements will put it “<a href="https://ministers.dss.gov.au/speeches/5266">onto a business as usual even keel for the long term</a>”. While the proposed changes have promise, there remain some fundamental challenges plaguing the scheme that these reforms are unlikely to address. <h2>A scheme under pressure</h2> The NDIS represents a massive policy reform process, so it’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/ndis-hiccups-are-expected-as-with-any-large-scale-social-reform-75693">unsurprising it should face teething problems and challenges</a> during implementation. Official figures show more than 310,000 people now have plans in place, with the scheme intended to reach around <a href="https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/what-ndis">460,000 by full roll out</a> next year. This has all been achieved at <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/cash-strapped-disability-support-groups-warn-of-service-cuts-20191119-p53c1l.html">significant pace</a>. Yet in recent months, we’ve seen continued criticism of the scheme and the agency that administers it (the National Disability Insurance Agency, or the NDIA). Grievances relate to issues including failure to <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/prices-for-ndis-services-under-review/4a57c732-b0b0-44bf-a994-38d30bf2b173">pay service providers enough</a> to cover costs; <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jun/26/ndis-allegations-surge-as-25-operators-kicked-off-scheme">provider fraud allegations</a>; the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-05/tasmanian-parents-struggling-to-access-speech-treatment-for-kids/11670702">inability of people with disability</a> to access services; and the <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6443093/ndia-gets-new-ceo-800-extra-staff/">remuneration level</a> of the NDIA’s new CEO. Added to these are concerning accounts of abuse and neglect beginning to emerge from the <a href="https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/hearings/Pages/hearings/2019/brisbane-public-sitting.aspx">disability royal commission</a>. <h2>Delivering the last 20%</h2> Minister Robert described the NDIS as “<a href="https://ministers.dss.gov.au/speeches/5266">about 80% there, with 20% left to go</a>”. He acknowledged the last 20% is often the hardest. The government’s plan for the NDIS focuses on <a href="https://ministers.dss.gov.au/speeches/5266">six key aims</a> including quicker access and quality decision making, equitable and consistent decisions and better long-term outcomes for participants. While critical of the “<a href="https://www.everyaustraliancounts.com.au/man-with-a-plan-minister-stuart-robert-announces-big-changes-for-the-ndis/">jargon and gobbledegook</a>” in the recent announcements, consumer groups have welcomed a number of the minister’s plans, identifying these as areas they have been advocating for over the last few years. <h2>Some positive changes</h2> Among the promises that should have a positive impact is the announcement people will be able to use their funding more flexibly. Currently funds are locked into particular categories of supports and activities and it’s not easy to move resources between these. The reality is people’s lives do not fit neatly into administrative categories and the flexibility to use funds differently should make a big difference. Further, from April next year people will be able to see a draft of their plan before it’s approved. At present most participants see their plan for the first time when they formally receive it after the planning process. Any mistakes made typically require a full review, causing delays in getting services in place and adding to the planning workload. Participants will also be able to make small changes to their plan without it undergoing a full review, which will be a relief to those who have become mired in endless plan reviews due to changes in their situation. Soon people will also be able to request <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/minister-reveals-practical-changes-to-make-ndis-more-flexible-20191117-p53bc9.html">longer plan durations</a>, of up to three years. Currently most plans last one year. For people who have relatively stable disability – that is, their health and capacity isn’t getting any worse or any better – this will be a relief. The move also cuts some unnecessary red tape and will reduce planners’ workloads. But it does require people to have a clear sense of their priorities and needs. It may be detrimental to people whose circumstances are more changeable – they could become locked into a plan that no longer suits their needs. We will also see the roll out of independent assessments to be paid for by the NDIS. This should have a positive impact as people currently either have to pay for their own assessments or wait for a significant length of time on a public waiting list. In terms of equitable access this is a significant improvement. Finally, plans will be made accessible in additional formats including large font, audio, e-text and braille. For many outside the system it will come as a surprise this is not standard practice. <h2>The devil is in the detail</h2> There’s no doubt we’ve seen some real improvements in the scheme in recent months. The wait time for children to receive a plan halved over the last quarter (<a href="https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/publications/quarterly-reports">to 48 days</a>). The number of people waiting for assistive technologies (like wheelchairs or communication devices) has reduced by <a href="https://www.ndis.gov.au/about-us/publications/quarterly-reports">nearly two-thirds</a>. This is good but around 5,000 people are still waiting. So progress can be made, but these new promises come with little detail about how they will be delivered. Meanwhile, the system is already creaking at the seams with little spare capacity. In 2014, a staffing cap was placed on the NDIA, restricting the numbers employed to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/08/labor-pledges-to-scrap-ndis-staff-cap-over-outsourcing-concerns">3,000</a>, though the government has committed to increasing the cap gradually to <a href="https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2018/08/government-set-increase-ndia-staff-cap/">3,400</a> in 2020-21. Although reducing the number and frequency of full plan reviews will reduce demand for planners, it’s difficult to envision how this will free up sufficient spare capacity to support all these changes. A number of organisations have also criticised the <a href="https://socialequity.unimelb.edu.au/projects/choice-control-and-the-ndis">quality of planners</a>, who often have limited training and experience in disability services. There seems to be little in these announcements to tackle this. It’s also important to note having a plan doesn’t guarantee being able to access services. In many parts of the country we’re seeing significant waiting lists for even the most common supports (for example, occupational therapy). A new report found nearly one-third of disability providers reported <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/cash-strapped-disability-support-groups-warn-of-service-cuts-20191119-p53c1l.html">a loss of income in the last financial year</a> and several were concerned for their long term viability. There is an urgent need to address issues of supply within the system before we see even greater gaps emerge. While these recent promises edge the NDIS in the right direction, the scheme is still facing some fundamental challenges. These will need to be addressed if the NDIS is to live up to the aspirations of those accessing it.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/127223/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Written by Helen Dickinson, Professor, Public Service Research, UNSW. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/the-ndis-is-changing-heres-what-you-need-to-know-and-what-problems-remain-127223" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Retirement Income

Government’s disability scheme slammed as “heartless” after man's claim rejected

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has been lambasted as “heartless” after it rejected the claim of a South Australian man with a damaged hand. Martin Barclay told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/cried-two-days-man-told-hes-not-disabled-enough-disability-support-102124576.html">7News</a> that he struggles to shower and cook on his own, yet the NDIS does not find him disabled enough. Barclay, 48, has been living with the severe impairment on his hand for almost two decades. The hand, which was already weakened after a motorbike crash in his youth, was further damaged in a workplace accident in 2002, causing it to clench and spasm. To clean the impaired hand, Barclay has to visit Clare Hospital every six weeks to be sedated while doctors perform the task. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> EXCLUSIVE: The NDIS is being slammed as heartless after the claim of a disabled Mid-North pensioner was rejected. Martin Barclay's hand is so damaged he struggles to shower and cook for himself, but he says he wasn't disabled enough for the NDIS. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#auspol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AndreaLNicolas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@andrealnicolas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/7NEWS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#7NEWS</a> <a href="https://t.co/UZ6aQoJAvC">pic.twitter.com/UZ6aQoJAvC</a> — 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) <a href="https://twitter.com/7NewsAdelaide/status/1110083322011541504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2019</a></blockquote> However, when his doctor lodged a claim for support with the federal government’s disability scheme in February, it was rejected with a letter implying that Barclay’s condition is not permanent. “When I got that letter, I just cried for two days virtually,” said Barclay. “I find it absolutely appalling, you know, this poor disabled person, just being pushed to the side.” The NDIS said it will review Barclay’s disability claim. This is not the first time that NDIS’ rejection has been questioned. Last year, New South Wales man Jeremy Hawkes – who was featured on the scheme’s nationwide ad campaign – got his application rejected, as his Parkinsonism and chronic pain were found not to substantially reduce his ability to care for himself. The NDIS is required by law to provide “reasonable and necessary supports” for Australians with “permanent and significant disability”. As of December 31, 2018, more than 244,000 Australians have joined the scheme. However, the program has been riddled with issues, with the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/time-to-fix-a-failing-system/news-story/b6140daaed3b9450be6a2d958539a4ab" target="_blank">Mercury</a>’s editorial describing it as “a failing system”. According to disability advocate lawyer Dona Graham, many find the application and review process long and complex. “When you're wanting to apply to the NDIS, there's actually nobody on your side,” Graham told the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-25/ndis-poster-boy-has-own-application-rejected/10034228" target="_blank">ABC</a>. “You're actually not being supported. It's incredibly complex and financially it's out of most people's purview.” Those who have been found eligible by the NDIS also face problems. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/just-59-per-cent-of-south-australians-with-ndis-funding-are-spending-the-money/news-story/4c7fde87d65a70496b64ea6a35a849ea" target="_blank">The Advertiser</a>, only three out of five (59 per cent) South Australians with NDIS packages are actually spending their money on services due to the “confusing” system.

Money & Banking

What is the NDIS and am I eligible?

Marissa Sandler is the CEO and co-founder of <a href="http://www.careseekers.com.au/" target="_blank">Careseekers</a>. Previously a social justice lawyer and researcher for over 15 years, Marissa is passionate about helping people live with dignity and finding innovative solutions to problems. NDIS… What does it stand for again? It’s the National Disability Insurance Scheme. And we promise, it’s so much more than just an acronym. What is the NDIS? The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is how the Government will deliver support to people with permanent and significant disabilities across Australia. It is a significant change from how the Government provided support to people with disabilities pre-July 2013 (although not everyone will be able to able to access the NDIS from 2013. See below for more information on the roll out). The aim of the NDIS is to provide individuals, with a permanent and significant disability with the reasonable and necessary supports they need to live an ordinary life and achieve their goals. The NDIS will fund supports that assist people with disabilities to: <ul> <li>Access mainstream services and supports e.g. medical services, housing.</li> <li>Access community services and supports that are available to everyone in the community e.g. libraries, community groups.</li> <li>Maintain informal support arrangements i.e. the support received from family and friends.</li> </ul> The NDIS may pay for supports that are reasonable and necessary for the person with a disability to live an ordinary life and achieve their goals. Under the NDIS each eligible person receives an individual amount of funding and is able to exercise greater choice and control over how they use this funding to purchase their supports. The choice and control an individual has over how their funding is spent will depend on whether their funding is self, plan or NDIA managed. It is possible to have a plan that is partially self and partially plan managed. What is the difference between NDIA, plan and self-managed NDIS funding? <ul> <li>NDIA managed – the NDIA will manage your NDIS funding. You are only able to use NDIS registered providers, to provide your supports.</li> <li>Plan managed – gives you more control over how you spend your funding as you can use both registered and unregistered support providers. However, you don’t deal with the financial or administrative tasks like making payment - a NDIS registered plan manager will take care of that.</li> <li>Self-managed – gives you the greatest control over how you spend your funding. You can use registered and unregistered support providers and can directly employ support workers. You will also be responsible for the financial and administrative side of your plan. You will need to create a specific bank account for this purpose.</li> </ul> Am I eligible for NDIS funding? First, check that the NDIS is available in your area. The NDIS started in July 2013 in a number of trial sites around Australia. It is being introduced Australia wide in stages from 1 July 2016. The goal is to have it rolled out within three years. To be eligible for the NDIS an individual must: <ul> <li>be under 65 years of age</li> <li>be an Australian citizen, permanent visa holder or hold a protected special category visa and</li> <li>meet the disability or early need requirements. For more information on the NDIS eligibility requirements <a href="https://www.ndis.gov.au/people-disability/access-requirements" target="_blank">click here</a>.</li> </ul> The NDIS is not means tested and does not impact income support such as the Disability Support Pension and Carers Allowance. Even if you do not currently receive Government funded disability support you may be eligible for the NDIS. The NDIA, which is the national agency running the NDIS, will determine if you are eligible for the NIDS. Can I use my NDIS funding with Careseekers? If you are self or plan managed you will be able to access care and support workers from Careseekers. This means you will be able to: <ul> <li>choose the right care worker for you</li> <li>get care and support at the exact times you want it</li> <li>arrange your support worker from the comfort of your own home</li> <li>watch your funding go further as you connect to affordable care and support workers</li> <li>directly employ your support workers (self-managed only)</li> </ul>

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“Make yourself heard!” Why Kerri-Anne Kennerley is suing the government

"Life is precious": Scott Morrison in tears over Aged Care reform