The
rollout of the National Disability Scheme has begun and some trails states have
now been operating for 12 months. Like anything new some things are working
very well and problem areas have emerged. Rightly, we ask the question Have we got the formula and maths right?
With
stories of inconsistency among trial sights emerging, it is these inconsistency
that add to the fear and confusion as Queensland awaits for the NDIS to begin.
One of the biggest myths feeding this confusion is the NDIS will look the same
in every state. That the blue print being used in Tasmania will be the same as
the one we see role out in Queensland in 2016. This is not the case. Essentially
while the principles of the NDIS underpin the scheme nationwide, each State and
Territory has an individual agreement with the federal government. The priories
vary from state to state.
Some
feel that the overriding principle that underpins the NDIS is complete control
will be handed to clients or their families where there is an adult guardian.
That people regardless of their individual compasticy levels will be handed
large packages to spend however the wish. They will elect to hirer unqualified staff and below awards rates and make outrages demands of staff to ensure the
money is stretched to maximize service hours.
In
Queensland we have what I term a double whammie where the department currently responsible
for administrating the funds also provide much of the resident care in the
state. This has been a highly controlled area of care for people with profound
disabilities or complex behaviours requiring very high restrictive practices to
be put in place by the adult guardian. It
is my thinking the Queensland government is yet to outline the role and any
changes to the adult guardian.
Much
fear among clients and support staff and those working for disability services centres around the “privation” of the industry. Rather amusing when some of
these worker work for large Not for Profit Organisations such as Endeavour, Oz
Care and the Cerebral League. In essence these are the private large corporations
or the Woolworth and Coles of the disability sector. These are the fingers of
feared monopolization and talk of mass takeovers are being fueled.
The
truth is the only area of the disability sector that is not currently
privatized is the residential programs run by the department of communities.
With the disbandment of the department and arm that currently administrator the
funding crossing to the NDS then common sense tells you residential facilities
will to be privatised.
Just
as NGO’ have compliance and surveillance audits now this will continue long after
the department has been dismantles. Something tells me, fear of job losses is
fuelling the fears of ‘privatization’ and ‘deregulation’ of the industry. We
are not the dairy cow industry, we are dealing people’s lives, people most of
us view as ‘at risk’. A term I believe
as service provides and support workers we need to grapple with in the days and
weeks ahead.
Just
like aged care and hospitals, models of privatization already exists and
operate in Queensland and very little reconstructing needs to occur. An industry
that will become driven by market forces, doesn’t necessarily mean lower
prices, mass job losses and lower standard of care. It can and I believe should
mean services diversity and lift stands to keep current clientele and attract
new customers. The challenge for service providers is to learn to true value of
the market, to value and respect the client and empower them to live quality
lives.
Disability
services were administers under the NDIS agreement our state government through legalization yet to be written remains the sectors regulators.
I
believe another contributor to ‘fear’ in the sector is the issue an issue of
control or what I ‘term perceived control’ or ‘power grab’. So who is now in control? May I suggest that no one is ‘in control’. As
scary and challenging that sounds, the ‘control’ often decries as ‘care or care
givers’ as a result of the power game we as humans play because we feel superior
in some way will be disbursed over a number of bodies, in a multi-level of
government approach. When we think of
clients now have ‘control’ our thinking about the ndis immediately becomes distorted.
A
disbandment of control
The Department of Disability
Service (Administration of funds)
Handed
to administrators of the NDIS
Funded by Federal and State Governments
The NDA administrates
funds
direct
to clients and their families, these funds are either held in separate Business Accounts with ABN for those self administrating or held in trust by a host
service provider
A system already in placed in
Queensland under
My
Life! My Choice!
In Queensland under the state government
and the department
Some clients and families are
being given choice.
The right to chose should not
be seen as control
Both Federal and State
Governments must
Introduce laws to safe guard all
people with disability
To empower them to make choices
around
WHO
WILL SUPPORT THEM
(I.E.
WHICH SERVICE PROVIDE)
HOW
THEY WANT TO BE SUPPORTED
(IE.
DEMENSTIC SERVICES, PERSONAL CARE AND DAY SERVICES)
WHEN
THEY WANT TO BE SUPPORTED
(I.E.
WHAT TIME THEY WANT ASSISTANCE TO GO TO BED)
None of these choices are
unreasonable or exerts control over anyone.
The
State Government is responsible for
State
laws around property ownership
Industrial
relations
Industry
Regulates
Health
and Safety
The
National Administration of funding does not affect state laws that protect
workers, organisations and their clients in this case people with disability
and their families.
Disability Services as a
support provider will cease
It is predicted NGO like Endeavor,
Cerebral Palsy League,
Uniting Care, Blue Care and
Young Care will buy
Some of this and maybe some
smaller players will emerge.
I don’t think giant likes Masters and Coles/Myers are likely
to pop up in the human services market.
We know under the NDIS clients
will be able to chose there service providers. This choice brings empowerment clients
can chose to live in an Endeavour house or a Uniting Care unit and yes some
will move into private homes and with choice comes risk. Without choice the
risk of control and abuse is higher.
A word on risk: Some people
will always choose to do the wrong thing! Some people who break laws and abuse
clients. Let’s not pretend it hasn’t happened in the past under a system
dominated by state care.
Empowered Choices
Provide means to speak out
about abuse
And making choices about
safety.
Division of control and responsibility
Should build greater
protection.
Build sadly nothing stops
anyone intent on breaking the law.
It’s time to recognised a
system of ‘ specialize care’
for people with disabilities is
not needed.
My hopes for the NDIS in Queensland and the disbandment of the department known
at Disabilities Services, like many people living with disabilities who have a
high compastity to function independently, is to see an end to a system which is
based on a care giver model, where others make decisions for those the ‘view’ as
less or ‘needy’.
‘A
care giver model’ like that of a medical model can view people as patients who
are sick or mental ill and in need of nursing. Just because I need assistance
to shower doesn’t mean I sick, well people take medicines many more than me. It
is true that some people with disabilities need a level of care, and for some
that will remain 24 hour a day care. The NDIS should ensure support, assistance
or equipment needs best meet the needs of all Australians with
disabilities.
I
believe this is possible thought a system that funds the individual or family
not the disability. In essence a medical
or care model provide carer based on the classification of a person’s
disability and their perceived inability to tasks. I liken the current system
to a one size fits all system. It someone
is born with cerebral palsy then the cerebral palsy league is the best service
for them. Any classification system gives rise to misconceptions in the
general public. From which organisations
and governments employ their staff.
Once
perceptions are from and action upon, the most vigorous disabilities awareness
training will not ultra myths people have convinced themselves are fact. And
the fact is that Queensland’s State Care model adopted by Disability Services
is long overdue for a overhaul.
In
the option of many it was a system established on the floor that people who
once lived in state institutions still needed a level of ‘care and protection’.
That system was then adopted for all people living with disabilities, whether
the person was a ward of the state or live at home with their families. After decades
of critical funding shortages, under a system never designed to cater for all
people living with disabilities, people with disabilities and families have
driven what we now call ‘the NDIS revolution’.
It
is the model of disability care the people with disabilities and their families
have told the government they needed.
The needed a system where the dollar value of someone’s package was not
determined by the classification of their disability or the daily tasks or
decisions they were unable to complete, but a system that took a whole of life approach.
A system that signed up a child at the age of there, and acknowledges as the
grow their needs will change and developed what works at twelve will no longer work
when they reach 32.
A
system that recognises people live into old age and the impact of disabilities
on the aging body is greater than the general public. It’s a system that embraces individualists and celebrates difference, demanding individual planning in consultation with
the person, their families and advocates. Where people are offered choice in
the way they are supported to achieve their goals.
The
challenges for us as workers who are now employed to assist people with disabilities
rather than in a way ‘we’ have traditionally provided care or programs for our
clients to attend, in not this privatisation and threat to jobs, but our
ability to grips the NDIS revolution and transform our thinking that prevents
us from believing in grade myths as truth not longer have a place in this
industry.
Our
customers, whether it is a person with the disability themselves or a family
member is not our patient and they are not asking to be made whole. They a hear
to purchase a service that they believe with improve their lives and best
achieve their lifestyle goals and that as management of a direct service
provider is what we will need to deliver on July 1, 2016.
We
need know what we have to offer, how we are prepared to offer it and what price
is attached to the service. We know what
our hairdresser charges, out clients are going to ask how much it costs to be support
at TAFE and does it include mileage? Some clients will want to know will our
staff show them or do they need to engage another service provider.
The
like another ‘smart shopper’ will shop round to get value for money. Where once
the carer did everything from menu planning, shopping, the housework, the
shower and made the clients appointments. As a client I can go onto the NDIS
website and chose a registered demotic cleaner to do the housework, a transport
service to take shopping and my support work to enable me to do my hydrotherapy.
Despite
there being major shifts in the industry in the way we discuss clients and
people living with disabilities and changes in job titles, the job as a paid
carer has at stronghold on the industry. The ‘role of a carer’ implies a sense
of authority and decision makes’, name changes in job titles such as support
worker under a care model approach have failed to allow staff to adapt to a
role of enabling the client to make their own choices and do as much they are
able. These workers are a bit like the mums who want to continue protecting the
child even after their grandchildren come along.
These
workers will struggle in a market place where our clients whole the purchasing
power. ‘Carers’ or whatever they want to call themselves who in on walking into
clients homes putting on the jug to make themselves coffee while outlining the
days agenda and assigning tasks to other staff, are in for a major
awaking.
They may need to
ask the family before making themselves coffee and they may be asked to hang
out the washing before they take their son or daughter to the gym instead of
the movie the play to see before taking mike to Macer’s for lunch. They may need to go some physical work before
being paid.
The
NDIS focus on enabling people to make choices like every other person and not
to many people chose to see a movie on the same day at the same time every week.
This is not the type of community participation NDIS is targeting. In my view funding would be better spent paying
a cleaning and supporting the family to
go out as a family unit. Just like families without children with disability.
Support
under the NDIS is intended to assist people and families living with disabilities
to live and afford lifestyles similar to others their same age. Support employers who populate the old care model offered under disability services
will prove to be a liability to the employer.
We
know the NDIS formula is not correct, we know changes and clarifications need
to be made. Both under and over estimation in the productivity budgets were made
and I believe too much change dismissed the power of community attitudes and tolerance levels of anyone who is different to themselves.
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