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THERE ARE A number
of equipment programmes available to
people with physical disabilities in NSW,
that specifically address items required
that relate directly to physical
disability:
- The NSW
Program of Appliances for People
with Disabilities
- The MAA Life
Time of Care and Support
Scheme
- DEWR
Workplace modification
scheme
- AIDAS
- The
Department of Education Access
Program
- Continence
Aids and Assistance
Scheme
- Workcover
- Appliance and
Limb Scheme
- Ventilator
Dependant Quadriplegia
Program
- The
Department of Veteran's Affairs
Equipment Program
Other funding
arrangements, such as the Attendant Care
Program and the Spinal Set Fund up fund
also allow for the purchase of equipment
as part of a "set up" cost as a person
moves into independent living.
Some people with
physical disabilities also require
equipment provided by other programs that
may or may not relate directly to physical
disability, such as the National Diabetes
Support Scheme and the Hearing Aids
Program.
The Physical
Disability Council of NSW (PDCN) is
primarily concerned with the
Program of
Appliances for Disabled
Persons
PADP is the program
that provides people with disabilities
including frail older people with the
equipment and aids they need. The NSW
Department of Health through lodgement
centres within the Local Area Health
Services administers PADP.
Aims of the program
include:
- Improved access
to appropriate equipment and appliances
based on a person's needs
- Improved quality
of life for people with
disabilities
- Improved
capacity to participate in family and
community activities
- Prevention of
premature and inappropriate entry to
institutional care
- Continuity of
care
Equipment provided
includes wheelchairs, walking frames and
sticks, pressure care mattresses and
cushions, beds, communication devices,
continence items and personal assistance
items (shower commodes, bath seats).
The PADP budget is
currently $24m. This includes a recurrent
amount of $2m from the Department of
Ageing, Disability and Homecare that is
specifically for the provision of
equipment to children with disabilities.
Currently, 48% of PADP expenditure is
provided to assist a person's mobility and
20% of expenditure assists in providing
items for continence
management.
PERCENTAGE
OF BUDGET TO EQUIPMENT TYPE
|
Equipment
Group
|
0-15
yrs
|
16-44
|
45-69
|
70+
|
Total
|
|
Incontinence
|
22.8%
|
13.0%
|
9.1%
|
41.7%
|
20.4%
|
|
Mobility
|
48.8%
|
54.4%
|
53.7%
|
31.5%
|
48.1%
|
|
Others
|
4.6%
|
5.2%
|
10.4%
|
10.6%
|
7.5%
|
|
Maintenance
|
1.8%
|
6.7%
|
7.9%
|
2.4%
|
4.9%
|
|
Beds and
Seating
|
7.6%
|
10.3%
|
11.1%
|
7.0%
|
9.1%
|
|
Self
Care
|
4.0%
|
7.7%
|
4.9%
|
3.7%
|
5.2%
|
|
Nutritional
|
8.2%
|
1.9%
|
0.9%
|
0.9%
|
3.1%
|
|
Prostheses
|
0.2%
|
0.2%
|
0.8%
|
1.0%
|
0.5%
|
|
Communication
|
2.0%
|
0.5%
|
1.2%
|
1.3%
|
1.2%
|
|
Grand
Total
|
100.0%
|
100.0%
|
100.0%
|
100.0%
|
100.0%
|
Table
reproduced from Price Waterhouse Coopers
discussion paper
2005
Failure to provide
aids and equipment in a timely manner
means that people with disabilities
experience greater difficulty or may not
be able to go about their daily activities
such as work, school, leisure, and
shopping. While they wait for equipment:
- Some will be
admitted to hospital because they have
developed pressure problems that
require specialist prolonged medical
intervention.
- Deformities
develop and are exacerbated. This
eventually leads to corrective
surgeries, especially when equipment is
not upgraded for growing
children.
- Additional
personal support services are needed so
that a person with a disability can
leave their home to shop and attend
family, community and social
activities.
- Many people
experience additional pain as a result
of unsuitable equipment, often
requiring further medical
intervention.
- Families cannot
"do things together", resulting in
family tension and disgruntled
siblings.
- Some relinquish
their independence. Given appropriate
equipment, in a timely manner, people
with disabilities need not sacrifice
their independence.
- Some will lose
their employment
With appropriate
levels of funding and good administration,
the NSW PADP has the potential to be the
best equipment provision program in
Australia.
The current PADP
policy, released in January 2001, was
developed through the late 1990's
following the release of the Cranny
Report. The policy was developed in
consultation with people with physical
disabilities through the NSW PADP Advisory
Committee.
The pace of ongoing
reform to PADP has been slow and there are
still difficulties in administering the
program. Lack of consistency in
interpreting and implementing the policy
remains the primary administrative
frustration.
The Physical
Disability Council of NSW maintains its
position that the primary problem within
this vital program is lack of
funding.
In May 2005, the NSW
Department of Health made its first
attempt to measure the PADP waiting list.
At that time it was estimated there was
$5.5m of vital equipment being waited for.
- Our members
inform us they very often wait for up
to two years for a wheelchair or other
essential aids and equipment.
- Our
organisational members tell us they no
longer request equipment, on behalf of
client through PADP in some areas.
Instead, they approach the charitable
sector to request funding.
- The waiting list
is difficult to measure due to the lack
of accurate data.
- The waiting list
measured May 2005 does not reflect
actual need, as many have given up on
PADP as the provider of their equipment
needs.
The issues within
PADP have meant that the program has once
again been reviewed, commencing in
December 2005. The results of the
PriceWaterhouseCoopers report have not yet
been made public. We continue to await the
findings.
Regardless of the
outcome, the position of the Physical
Disability Council of NSW is that unless
properly funded, PADP will not be the
service that it should and could be.
Without adequate funding, equipment cannot
be provided in a timely manner. Without
adequate funding PADP will not provide a
level playing field and thereby prevent
equality of opportunity and equal
citizenship.
In April 2006, the
sector was delighted at Premier Morris
Iemma's announcement of a "one-off" influx
of $2m, from DADHC, to clear the
paediatric component of the PADP waiting
list. At the end of June 2006 the two
major non-government providers of therapy
services to children with physical
disabilities reported no discernable
difference in the numbers of their
clients, under the age of sixteen, waiting
for equipment since the April DADHC grant.
The total value of paediatric equipment
being waited for at that time, in those
two agencies was $917,000.
What do we
currently know?
- People continue
to miss out on vital aids and
appliances.
- The $3m
announced as part of Stronger Together
does not go towards providing equipment
for people who need to use PADP - $2.5
to support the equipment needs for
those residing in DADHC Disability
Services and $500,000 to boost the
equipment lending library of the Motor
Neurone Disease Association.
- Information
collected from one disability service
provider in January 2006 showed clients
waiting for a total of $1.648m worth of
equipment. $700,000 of that amount is
from the previous financial year. Of
$1.1m worth of equipment requested by
that provider so far in this financial
year, PADP has only provided $81, 576
worth (a total of 26 items).
- The total budget
for PADP in 2006-2007 was 26.8 m made
up of:
- 23.8m
recurrent funds which includes $2m
recurrent from DADHC for paediatric
equipment and
- $0.8 for
Spinal Set-up Funds.
- In addition,
DADHC provide non-recurrent funds of
$2m to clear the paediatric waiting
list and $1m for infant monitors for
mothers who are deaf
PDCN continues call
on the NSW State government to:
- increase in the
PADP budget to $37.5m
- develop an
information system that is able to
adequately collect waiting data
- continue the
development of consistent and timely
service
- release the
PriceWaterhouseCoopers report into the
review of PADP.
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