“Vulnerable participants are not routinely identified and assigned ongoing support coordination in their NDIS plan,” the interim report states. It found there was no requirement for care providers to allocate at least two workers to cater for each client and no requirement for carers to have regular supervision.
Gaps exist in the system to protect disabled people under government care, with a dozen issues identified by a South Australian task force examining the case of an Adelaide woman who died in appalling conditions. The group’s interim report was released on Tuesday and found 12 areas that required attention, with most within the Commonwealth’s jurisdiction.
NDIS Minister Stuart Robert is planning to introduce the proposed powers to federal parliament within the next two weeks. The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission would be able to draw on sources outside the scheme to determine a ban, including a worker’s history at aged or child care centres. People with Disability Australia spokeswoman El Gibbs said the new powers would be the first step towards improving safeguards in the NDIS.
In 2018–19, about 230,000 people used disability support services funded under the National Disability Agreement (NDA). Of these, 68% used the Australian Government’s open employment services. During the year, about 29,200 NDA service users transitioned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, many of whom (65%) had an intellectual or learning primary disability.
The Code sets out the obligations that all Victorian disability workers must abide by and provides a standard to protect people with disability from harm and abuse. The Code is designed to complement the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework to promote a safe and skilled disability workforce within Victoria. The Code adopts the NDIS Code … Continued
Harris’ sister Leanne Longfellow told Inq she couldn’t believe there had been no protocols breached in the lead-up to Harris’ death. His body wasn’t discovered until around two months after he died, when Longfellow — who lives interstate — called NSW Police to conduct a welfare check.
More details have emerged from a number of investigations into the death of Adelaide woman, Ann Marie Smith, who police say died as a result of shocking neglect last month. The acting head of South Australia’s Human Services Department today told a parliamentary committee there had been several “flags” against her carer, Rosa Maoine and the company that employed her – Integrity Care over the years.
Disability advocates say the death of an Adelaide woman with cerebral palsy is proof the system is failing the most vulnerable. Ann Marie Smith was meant to receive around the clock in-home care but was instead left in the same chair for a year – with police describing her death as ‘disgusting and degrading’. How her condition went unnoticed for so long is now part of a criminal investigation.
The Federal Government says it “wants answers” on the death of disability care recipient Ann Marie Smith in what police described as “degrading circumstances”, as pressure mounts on federal and state authorities to explain how her case was overlooked.
The essence of human rights is the right of everyone to live a dignified life. A life with shelter, food, access to health care, safety, inclusion in the community and respect. As a community we should value human rights because we value people. People from all backgrounds, living circumstances and abilities. People like Ann-Marie. A police investigation is now underway, and Ann-Marie’s death has been declared a major crime.
She died on April 6 from severe septic shock, multi-organ failure, severe pressure sores, malnutrition and issues connected with her cerebral palsy after being stuck in a cane chair for 24-hours-a-day for more than a year.
This inaugural flagship report for the Intermediaries Sector exposes challenges within the operating and policy environment and features the results from the inaugural Intermediary Sector Survey which 461 intermediary service providers responded to. The administrative burden of NDIS systems and processes frustrate providers, with 61% of respondents strongly disagreeing or disagreeing that systems and process in the NDIS are working well, however, despite this, the sector is responding and meeting Participant demand.
The case of an Adelaide woman who died after being left by carers in a cane chair 24-hours-a-day for a year shows the community still does not value people with disabilities as much as it should, advocates say. Her death, which Detective Superintendent Des Bray described as happening in “disgusting and degrading circumstances”, is now the subject of a manslaughter investigation.
The committee was very critical of how complicated and confusing the whole process was – and just how little had changed over the last few years. The report makes 45 sensible and practical recommendations – including making things simpler, easier and faster. And giving people more support so they can genuinely explore alternatives. Importantly, the committee also recommended more funding for advocacy so that people have support to make choices for themselves about where they live, who they live with and how they want to live their lives.
Some urgent changes are needed to help Australians with disabilities live independently at home, a report by a bipartisan parliamentary committee says.