NDIS forum to address ‘systemic’ flaws

A NEW community forum to address and highlight “systemic failures” within the National Disability Insurance Scheme will go ahead in Toowoomba next week.

Disability advocates Alyce Nelligan and Paul Wilson organised the event after several reports earlier this year of the NDIS stripping funds from clients.

In some cases, high-need participants lost more than $100,000 in funding from their plans, because they weren’t able to spend the money in Toowoomba.

Ms Nelligan said the forum was needed to start addressing problems with the current scheme, which she believed was nearing crisis levels.

“For the last months we have heard heartbreaking, harrowing stories of our most vulnerable community members being worse off under the NDIS scheme,” she said.

“Hundreds of thousands of dollars ripped away; crucial services denied as not reasonable; people left with no option but to relinquish their family members.

“These are not teething problems – there are systemic failures with the scheme.”

Guests at the event will include carers Toni Mitchell and Judy Trigger, whose family members each lost $100,000 from their schemes following reviews.

The forum will be held at the Glenvale Seventh Day Adventist Church hall on Greenwattle St, on April 16 from 11am.

Clients, service providers and other professionals are welcome.