Lukewarm reception news of care review
WELLINGTON: Disability care reform campaigner Diane Moody says she is unimpressed with yesterday’s announcement of an independent review into the Funded Family Care system.
The 76yearold mother said the Health Ministry could learn from her disabled son, Shane Chamberlain, for whom she has been caring.
‘‘He’s not too good at the paperwork side of things, but he could teach them how to treat people,’’ she said.
In February, the Court of Appeal ruled the ministry had failed to take into account the ‘‘intermittent’’ aroundtheclock care Mrs Moody carried out for her severely disabled son, when it allocated her just 21 hours a week at minimum wage.
Families and advocates for people with disabilities are questioning why there is to be another review into the Funded Family Care system, saying its flaws are well known.
‘‘How could we be excited?’’ Mrs Moody said.
‘‘It will be just the same old, same old, I imagine. It will be very interesting to see who they decide to contact. I’ve got a funny feeling it won’t be us.’’
The Government plans to repeal the part of the widely reviled Public Health and Disability Act, which denies families the right to complain about breaches of their human rights in relation to family care policies.
But it stopped short of a complete overhaul.
Shane Chamberlain’s courtappointed advocate, Jane Carrigan, said it had been five years since the previous government pushed through the law change without consultation or select committee scrutiny, triggering outrage from the Labour Party and the Greens.
Holding another review smac ked of ‘‘deja vu’’.
Under the current law, spouses cannot be paid to provide care, nor can parents be paid to care for children under the age of 18.
The head of the Carers Alliance, Janine Stewart, said it was ‘‘nonsense’’ to say — as claimed by former health minister, Tony Ryall — that broadening access to funded family care would open the floodgates and bankrupt the country.
Of the 1600 families who could qualify, just 354 had taken it up in the five years it had been running.
Ms Stewart was ‘‘cautiously optimistic’’ the Government would make the necessary changes.
However, families had already been waiting too long, she said.
Associate Health Minister James Shaw said the current system was ‘‘a nightmare’’ for families, and he understood their frustration. However, he did not want to preempt the review’s findings or ‘‘close off any doors’’ by discussing what changes could be made. — RNZ