Disability in New Zealand

Ministry of Health Disability Support Services Consumer Forums evolved from the recommendations of the Consumer Participation Project conducted in 2004 as part of the Disability Services Directorate’s implementation of the NZ Disability Strategy. The aim of the project was to establish ways of increasing consumer participation and to ensure input into the Directorate’s activities.

Improving consumer participation and communication between consumers and the Ministry of Health is a priority. We continue to develop these forums and visit different parts of the country each year to ensure disabled people their families, whanau, aiga and carers get an opportunity to meet with us and express their ideas.

Feedback from forums held early in 2005 and again in 2006 and 2007, show widespread support within the disability sector for the forums to continue.

The Disability Services Directorate (DSD) held a series of consumer forums, hui and fono in towns and cities throughout the country during the first part of 2006. These forums provided us with an excellent opportunity to meet with the people who use the services we fund. It also gave us a chance to share what we have been doing to improve these services, and our future plans. These forums provided an opportunity for disabled people, their families, whanau and carers to discuss any concerns or suggestions they may have had with members of DSD.

The Deputy Director-General of DSD, Geraldine Woods attended many of these meetings as did representatives from the Office of Disability Issues (ODI) and the local Needs Assessment Service Co-ordination (NASC) organisation.

The report below summarises the issues and ideas that came up at the consumer forum, hui and fono held earlier this year. The report is based on notes and minutes taken at each meeting by the Federation of Disability Information Centres (NZFDIC).

The 2007 forum programme provided an opportunity for people to talk to DSD about the disability support services we fund and to share ideas they had for the future provision of services. It was also a chance for DSD staff to hear about the issues that are affecting disabled people.

Page last updated: 24 August 2009