These Case Studies
are drawn from a larger pool of examples of the
personal circumstances of individuals.
They illustrate of the
range of problems known to exist.
We can put media
representatives in touch with people other than
the examples cited here. - 1800 688
831
Four
people with spinal cord injury currently living
in the Moorong Spinal Unit were considered ready
for discharge at the end of February 2002. The
four remain inappropriately supported in a
specialist hospital unit because of delays
attributable to the dispute between DADHC and
Attendant Care Programme service providers. No
discharge date has yet been set for any of the
clients.
The cost
to the NSW Government of supporting four people
inappropriately in a hospital setting for the
five months since completion of their
rehabilitation has been $308,000 (based on a
figure supplied by the Royal Rehabilitation
Centre Sydney of $550 per person per day). This
amount of taxpayer's dollars would purchase
2,566 hours of Attendant Care Programme support
for each of the four individuals concerned,
which equates to more than 2 years of support
for an "average" Attendant Care Programme
service user.
A man, 44, with cerebral palsy who lives alone
in Department Of Housing property. He is not
satisfied with the support he receives from the
Home Care Service, which is being funded through
the Attendant Care Programme. The man wants to
transfer his current service from HCS to a
non-Government provider so that he can receive a
more flexible service. He needed to apply for an
increase in hours to enable him to make the
transfer and was required to wait approximately
one year before supplementation was approved. He
has been unable to establish his new support
services because of the moratorium caused by the
protracted negotiations around the hourly rate.
He is waiting for the new service to be
commenced.
A 38
year old woman living on the mid-north coast has
been denied access to the personal assistance
and support services she requires on a permanent
basis for between 3 and 4 hours per day. A
short-term (5 weeks) crisis intervention has
been made possible by contributions from NSW
Health, the Home Care Service and a family
member. If no longer term solution is found
within the next month, however, the woman will
be required to be admitted to a local
hospital.
The cost
to the NSW Government of supporting the person
in an inappropriate hospital setting is
estimated to be $700 per day. The cost of
supporting the woman at home for between 3 and 4
hours would be $120 per day. The extra cost of
inappropriate support is at least $580 per
day.
A man living in the Central Coast has been
experiencing problems over the last twelve
months with poorly organised and inflexible
services that are meant to support him to live
with dignity in his own home.
In 2000 he applied for
more flexible support arrangements under the
Attendant Care Programme. Two years later, his
application has still not been considered by the
programme's selection panel.
Attachment:
Media
Release - 4 July 2002
