Dunedin disabilities advocate scores win
PROCEDURES for building access ramps and altering bathrooms to make the homes of disabled people easier to live in will change, after a successful petition from a Dunedin man.
Joshua Perry, who has cerebral palsy, spent 18 months trying to get work done on his bathroom so he could shower more easily.
Frustrated by the time it took to get the work approved, funded and completed, he last year petitioned the Government to improve the process.
The health select committee has now reported back on Mr Perry’s peti tion, and said it agreed the system needed to be more streamlined.
Its report said the Ministry of Health had acknowledged Mr Perry had made a reasonable point and would introduce a monitoring system for housing modification applications to pick up any work which had not been done within six months.
The committee welcomed that change, but stressed to the ministry that the six month period should be calculated from the disabled applicant’s perspective rather than that of the official who assessed the case.
‘‘We encourage the ministry to keep in contact with the petitioner, and organisations such as the Disabled Persons Assembly, as there is the potential for mismatches to arise between the lived experiences of those using these services and the intentions of government departments.’’
The report said the process needed to be streamlined, and emphasised that delays caused affected not just the disabled person but also their family and caregivers.
Mr Perry said he was pleased with the majority of the report, but hoped Parliament would take action based on the recommendations in it.
‘‘In my view there needs to be major action now, to ensure that we don’t have other clients waiting 18 months like I did.
‘‘I would like to see the report considered as a Bill for major fundamental changes when it comes to housing modifications.’’
Mr Perry said the situation was an emergency for disabled people and he would continue to advocate on the issue.