Disability in New Zealand
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Disability Services E-Newsletter
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Disability Services E-Newsletter: September 2007 (PDF, 151 KB)
Making a world of differencefor Charlotte
Adapted, with permission, from a letter by her mother Gabrielle.
Charlotte has Cerebral Palsy and uncontrolled epilepsy. Although Charlotte is non-verbal she is an intelligent girl. After many years struggling to get communication equipment to help Charlotte, we learned of some funding that we could apply for through the Ministry of Health’s Equipment and Modifications Services.
We had recently had an assessment through our local needs assessment service so were able to apply for funding straight away. We met with Lynda and Lorraine from the Southern Assistive Technology team, who immediately set about finding out what Charlotte needed. They recognised her potential and advised us what they felt would best suit her needs. To a parent who has spent many years fighting for her child this was truly amazing and such a relief. The assessment was completed and an application made to Enable New Zealand for a Dynavox device which was approved along with funds for training.
The Dynavox has been amazing for Charlotte. It allows her to communicate to those that don’t know her well enough to pick up her signals thereby making it so much easier for anybody working with her and a lot less frustrating for Charlotte than when she is not understood.
Also from a safety aspect it allows her to communicate any problems she is having and with this device she is able to share her experiences with others by ways of photos taken and transferred to her Dynavox, something she loves. While we are having great success with this device this is just the beginning as we can build and extend options so it will continue to meet her needs.
The training for me has made things so much easier and I still have some time left which I intend to use wisely. The training staff have been fantastic and I am able to contact them whenever I have a problem. This backup also means the Dynavox is used to its full potential.
This device gives Charlotte the means to make decisions for herself rather than those with her hoping they have read her response to questions correctly, and allows her to communicate effectively with a much wider group of people. As a family it has been such a relief, because for Charlotte to have this means of communication is so important to us all.
If you would like more information on equipment and modifications please contact:
Accessable (Auckland/Northland) on 0508 001 002, info@accessable.co.nz, www.accessable.co.nz
Enable New Zealand (rest of NZ) on 0800 171 995, info@enable.co.nz, www.enable.co.nz
DDG Update
Geraldine Woods, Deputy Director-General, Health and Disability National Services Directorate
Well I am pleased to be able to tell you that I have been confirmed as the Deputy Director-General of the Health and Disability National Services Directorate. I am looking forward to the challenge of working with a much larger Directorate covering a variety of different services.
For Disability Services this means we are continuing to plan and implement a number of projects that we received funding for in the budget. We are also well into the planning phase of a DVD about accessing the Ministry of Health-funded disability support system. Our three-year strategic plan is in the final stages and has been influenced by the feedback we got from consumers at this years round of consumer fora, hui and fono.
I want to assure you that while I may have a larger portfolio of work now I remain as committed as ever to ensuring we have a quality, effective, accessible disability support system.
Update on equipment and modifications
As part of the review of Environmental Support Services, the Equipment Manual has been revised and contains some minor changes which will provide more flexible services.
Some of the key changes are:
- Changes to the eligibility for equipment for those people living in residential care (under 65 years of age or with a lifelong disability)
- Removal of the Priority 3 rating band for wait listed applications
- Applications submitted on behalf of residents (over 65 years of age) living in aged residential care will now be considered according to the needs of individual residents
- Broadening of the definition of “communication” to encompass the capacity of the person “to independently and reliably make their needs and feelings known to support their personal safety and interact effectively within their daily lives”.
The Minister of Health has also recently approved the Ministry’s proposal to resolve inconsistencies in the funding provided for housing modifications for children, and vehicle modifications and purchase. We have removed the requirement for income and asset testing of families/households for all applications for housing modifications for children 15 years of age and under.
Guidelines are currently being prepared for the funding of vehicle modifications.
As part of additional government funding announced in Budget 2007, the children’s spectacle subsidy has been extended to include children up to the age of 15 years old and under. This increase in the age of eligibility for this subsidy (currently for children up to 8 years of age) will take affect from October 2007. Further information on this subsidy can be found on: www.disabilityfunding.co.nz or by calling Enable Information on 0800 171 981.
Other new initiatives to be introduced following the additional budget money will be introduced over the next few months.
Workforce Development
Development of an overarching disability workforce strategy
All existing disability services projects relating to workforce have been brought under one programme of work within the Health and Disability National Services Directorate. The disability workforce development manager is Rob Gill. A stocktake of the disability workforce began in August. The stocktake results will support the development of a disability workforce strategy during 2008. Rob would welcome an opportunity to discuss the Ministry's priorities for 2007/08. You can contact him on(09) 580 9111.
Home Based Support Service Training Initiative
Officials from ACC, the District Health Boards and the Ministry have developed a joint response to there commendations from the independent evaluator. The independent evaluation has been considered by the project team. The project team is developing options that focus on creating infrastructure to sustain high quality training initiatives beyond the life of the project. These options will be presented to a training reference group in October for comment.
ASD Workforce ProjectTraining of all three Cohorts in the ‘tips for autism’ programme will conclude during September. Massey University has begun to evaluate this initiative after getting the necessary ethical approval.The evaluation report is not due until June 2008.
Community residential workforceSector representatives met with officials in August to prioritise options for use of available funding by June 2008. The discussion focused on an earlier proposal from the national residential intellectual disability (NRID) providers’ group. Agreement was reached in principle for providers of services to people with traumatic brain injury to join with NRID to assist the Ministry to draft a project plan that will build additional leadership capability within services.
NASC workforceThe Needs Assessment and Service Coordination Association (NASCA) is surveying member organisations to establish a profile of the current NASC workforce. This data will be used to inform project planning in relation to the levels of resource that should be directed to entry level or post graduate level training. Meetings have been held with a small cross-section of tertiary training providers to identify possible formats for post-graduate training in assessment, planning, and coordination.
Staff changes
Bryan Agnew, Contract Relationship Manager, NorthlandI joined the team at Disability Services, Northern Operations in July 2007, and currently have the role of Contract Relationship Manager with the responsibility of both Northland disability contracts and the National DIAS contracts. Although relatively new to the health and disability sector I have held a number of different roles in the public sector. Over the previous 10 years I have worked in various positions for MSD, and come to the Ministry of Health with experience in contract management, risk and assurance, and service management. So far I have found the role of Contract Relationship Manager to be both challenging and exciting, and look forward to my future career in the Ministry.
Outside of work interests are currently taken up with supporting my wife and five children (aged between 5 and 14 years) in their various community and sporting activities. Although when I do find time I enjoy fishing, watching sport and holidaying on Great Barrier Island.
Morgan Stevenson, Business Analyst
I have been contracting with the Ministry of Health for the past six months in the Business Support Team of Disability Services as a Business Analyst. This contract has now been extended for a further six months. I also worked with HealthPac for three years prior to going to the UK. I have recently returned from London where I worked as a Property Manager looking after council housing estates and properties in the London Borough of Islington. During my time in London I travelled Europe and England extensively. Italy was my favourite country and Munich's Oktoberfest my favourite event - bee rand salty food, a match made in heaven (to be consumed in moderation of course).
Outside of work I enjoy going to the theatre, rock climbing, movies, and travelling. If you are based in Christchurch you may have seen my face as I did some clothes modelling for a friend that made the Christchurch papers. As a career option I don’t see it panning out as even my friend didn’t want to pay for my services!
Padma Kumar, Financial AnalystI joined Disability Services on 2 July 2007 as a Financial Analyst for the Northern Region and am based in Dunedin. I worked as a banker for 21 years and have been working in the health sector since my immigration to New Zealand in 2003. I have a BSc in Zoology but have been a number cruncher all my life. Prior to joining Disability Services I worked for CCS as an Administration Officer, Southland DHB as a Policy Analyst and HealthPAC as an Agreements Administrator.
My wife is on her way to becoming an Occupational Therapist and our daughter is studying to become a Pharmacist. Outside of work I enjoy reading, surfing the net and travelling.
Staff movements
Estelle Muller was the Contract Analyst for the Northern Operations Team, she is now the Contract Relationship Manager for Counties Manakau.
Elliot Lloyd-Jones was a Business Support Analyst with the Business Support Team, he is now the Contract Analyst for the Southern Operations Team.
Annette Brown was the Contract Analyst for the Southern Operations Team, she is now the Contract Relationship Manager covering Wairarapa, Wanganui and the Hawkes Bay.
Disability Research Placement ProgrammeThe Disability Research Placement Programme is a capacity building initiative designed to place disability research students with world-class research teams in the health and disability research sector.
The Disability Research Placement Programme is designed to:
- build academic and disability research capacity in New Zealand
- coordinate the placement and participation of disability research students within well established research teams
- foster the development and growth of disability research
- encourage recruitment of disability researchers by New Zealand research teams
- promote research opportunities and careers in disability research within the community generally and for people with disability specifically
- identify, support and mentor future disability research experts and leaders.
Successful applicants will receive a career development award and the chance to work within a highly skilled and experienced research team in an area of interest to them.
Applications for funding close on 2 November 2007.
For more information contact:
Moana Hadfield
Research Co-ordinator
Investment Process Group
Health Research Council of New Zealand
Phone: 09 303 5210
Website: www.hrc.govt.nz
Ministry of Health Publications
Unless other wise specified, you can obtain copies of all Ministry of Health publications from:
Ministry of Health
C/O Wickliffe Limited
PO Box 932
Dunedin
Tel: (04) 496 2277 (Wellington)
Fax: (03) 479 0979 (Dunedin)
Email: moh@wickliffe.co.nz
Publications are also available on our website: www.moh.govt.nz/publications
Expanded health and disability advocacy service
People wanting to make a complaint to an advocate about a health or disability service will find it easier in the future.
New funding from the Minister of Health as well as a new national contract has allowed the nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service to expand and improve access to an advocate as well as the quality of this national service.
The advocacy service was set up over 10 years ago as part of the Health and Disability Commissioner Act in response to the need for patient advocates which was identified by Judge Silvia Cartwright during her inquiry into practices at National Women’s Hospital.
As part of the recent expansion of the advocacy service, advocates visited 98% of the country’s rest homes to assist and be available to residents, as well as providing education sessions for staff. This initiative was so successful in making it easy for vulnerable consumers to access an advocate that it has been extended to include disability homes and facilities.
The new funding has meant that advocates can focus on assisting those in residential homes for disabled people and rest homes, as well as making more frequent visits to smaller towns and outlying areas to make it easier for these people to speak with an advocate and discuss their concerns.
The advocacy service is available to any person who wants to make a complaint, or who requires information about health and disability consumers’ rights. Advocates are independent and on the side of the consumer. The service they provide is free.
The service has previously been provided by separate advocacy organisations around the country. The recent tendering round by the Director of Advocacy, resulted in one national contract being awarded to an advocacy trust who have a national rather than a regional view which will ensure the needs of all regions are taken into account and none are disadvantaged.
The new national approach brings a strong national identity amongst the advocates with the sharing of skills and expertise across the country. Consumers can expect consistent high quality advocacy wherever they live.
For further information contact: Judi Strid, Director of Advocacy, 027 271 1686
If you would like any information about the articles contained in this newsletter or to comment please contact Julz Britnell on disability@moh.govt.nz or Freephone: 0800 373 664
Who’s who in National Operations
The National Operations Team works closely with local disability service providers to ensure quality support services are available for those who need them. The team oversees the management of local contracts and provision of services. It is also involved with the development of special projects at a national level and works closely with the other teams in Disability Services.
All email addresses are First_Last@moh.govt.nz.Name
- Trish Davis, National Manager National, (07) 858 7029
- Kay Fleming, Executive Assistant For Trish Davis, (07) 858 7060
- Rose Hawkins, Regional Portfolio Manager Northern Operations, (07) 858 7062
- Mark Powell, Regional Portfolio Manager Southern Operations, (04) 496 2384
Northern Operations
- Bryan Agnew, Contract Relationship Manager, Northland + National DIAS contracts, (09) 580 9120
- Mark Johansson, Contract Relationship Manager, Waitemata (09) 580 9099
- Amanda Bleckmann Contract Relationship Manager, Auckland (09) 580 9083
- Estelle Muller Contract RelationshipManager, Counties Manakau (09) 580 9078
- Christine Petch, Contract Relationship Manager, Waikato, King Country, Thames/Coromandel, Tairawhiti, (07) 858 7007
- Natasha Gartner, Contract Relationship Manager, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Taranaki, (07) 858 7015
- Karla Powell, Contract Analyst, Northern Operations, (07) 580 9022
- Robyn Mills, Executive Assistant, Northern Operations, (07) 858 7058
Southern Operations
- Annette Brown, Contract Relationship Manager, Hawkes Bay, Wanganui, Wairarapa, (04) 496 2517
- Prema Mani, Contract Relationship Manager, Hutt Valley & South Canterbury all contracts.
- For Canterbury: HBSS, DIAS, physical disability residential and rehab contracts, (04) 496 2356
- Tony Wolke, Contract Relationship Manager, Nelson, Marlborough, Tasman, West Coast all contracts.
- For Canterbury: intellectual disability provider, DHB, child development and intellectual disability day service contracts(04) 496 2058
- Doug Funnell, Contract Relationship Manager, Otago, Southland, (03) 474 8550
- Elliot Lloyd-Jones, Contract Analyst Southern Operations (04) 496 2372
- Tina Berkett, Executive Assistant, Southern Operations, (04) 816 2319
- Waiting to appoint: Contract Relationship Manager Wellington, Kapiti, Manawatu, Horowhenua, Tararua