Posts by Rosemary McDonald
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Hard News: Incoming: Summer, in reply to Emma Hart,
We spent all yesterday at the cricket. Boxing Day
Peter likewise; although there in spirit rather than in his post chemo body.
A former sun nut who seldom burned, the chemo done 'orrible things to his skin. The last actual match he went to was Sri Lanka (bring on those drums and cymbals!) v Blackcaps at Seddon Park last January.
We used to go to the cricket...and get our wee possie up by the sightscreen where after a cooling cider I could go to sleep in the shade while himself watched every ball. Then they revamped Seddon Park and ruined it. Management got really pissy about folk bringing in shade materials(never mind your chilly bin full of refreshments.)
However, they got the message from other wheelchair users and for the game last January set up a terraced area for wheelchair users and carers....with SUN UMBRELLAS. We had to be a bit pro active (stroppy) to get these...
If you go today Emma...Peter will be listening to the game, ball by bleeding ball, on the radio...in the shade...jealous. Be well.
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Natrad/ Radio New Zealand/RNZ......is moving...
...to a new way of reporting on disability issues. In the New Year we'll be mainstreaming our disability coverage, to bring stories to a wider audience across both our radio and digital platforms. You'll see more of our disability stories here and hear them on Spectrum, New Zealand Society and within our award-winning News programmes, Checkpoint and Morning Report. We still want you to get in touch to share your stories and tell us the kind of issues you want to see examined. You can email us at our new, dedicated address: disability@radionz.co.nz
One on Five has tended to do the happy clappy inspiration disability stuff...but some programmes have been well worth a listen to.
We do make a point of tuning in on a Sunday evening...
But, no more.
I'm not sure that disability issues are going to be able to compete in the 'mainstream'.
Unless Natrad sets a minimum quota of at least 1/2 an hour per week...?
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If we must do Christmas (Bah Humbug), the only song that springs to my mind is this one...
there is a story here...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huron_Carol which leads to this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huron_Carole
which is kinda what its all about.
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Access: How many agencies does it take…, in reply to Angela Hart,
This is the Rolls Royce solution.
No, it is the solution recommended by the Coroner in 2012.
No need to read it all,
The coroner adopted the recommendation in the Summary
of the Southern District Health Board event review summary.
He recommended that the availability of non-invasive ventilation machines, with a battery backup, be provided for patients, such as the deceased, who require mechanical assistance to breathe when clinical circumstances dictate this for such patients.
The coroner directed that a copy of this finding be forwarded to the Ministry of Health to ensure that the recommendation is considered by all health boards.My recommendation would be to slap someone around the ears (metaphorically speaking) with the Coroner's recommendation.
And speaking of disrespectful and demeaning and simply not good enough...I found this...https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help4cory
which if correct, is also more than a little bit scary.
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Access: Disability abuse: it’s not OK, in reply to Sacha,
It would appear, however, that there is some discrepancy between the initial statements made by IHC New Zealand (the owners of Idea Services in whose care Nathan drowned) and the IPCA report.
On the 14th January 2014 the Manawatu Standard reported...
Media spokeswoman Paula McArthur would not comment on whether the facility was understaffed at the time, or whether there had been previous incidents.
"At the moment we are working with the police and, as it will ultimately be before the coroner, we are unable to say anything," she said.
"We are working with the family and they are very clear about what they would like to do, and we are following their wishes and working in with the police."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/9607125/Police-investigate-teens-death-in-bath
Twice the Media Spokeswoman for IHC states that they were working with the police, yet the IPCA report states...Similarly, the three statements from managers of the respite care facility were pre prepared and did not sufficiently address the issue of gross negligence. The statements did not contain enough information regarding supervision and training of staff, care plans, medication, and what was expected of staff, particularly at bath time. The Authority acknowledges that Police sought to interview the respite care facility managers and, after they refused to participate, accepted the pre-prepared statements as a last resort. However the Authority considers that Police should have made more of an effort to obtain the information relating to the issue of gross negligence (as described above), by asking follow-up questions or further seeking interviews with the managers.
file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/21%20December%202015%20IPCA%20Public%20Report%20-%20Police%20investigation%20into%20Nathan%20Booker's%20death%20(1).pdf
How on earth can refusing to be interviewed by the police be construed as "working with the police"?
It is not as if IHC have not been through these types of investigations before.
In 2007 IHC took responsibility for the death of Liam Munro, (http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/ihc-admits-faults-2007-death/5/18389) and in 2015 their care of Paul Thompsom, who died in 2013, was found to be inadequate.
(http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11499100)There was another death of a resident in an IHC facility in 2011, and although the Coroner found no direct culpability, certain recommendations were made to improve safety for residents. http://www.justice.govt.nz/courts/coroners-court/publications/recommendations-recap/recommendations-recap-issue-3
There are other complaints about Idea Services, and to be generous they are a large provider with many clients, but one would think that they would have a set protocol under circumstances such as a death in one of their facilities.
Or maybe they do have a set protocol?
Or are the police misrepresenting what actually happened?
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Access: Is New Zealand Fair and Square?, in reply to Sacha,
I don't want to cut across this thread...but I've flicked something up on the" Disabilty Abuse:its not ok"
The Manawatu paper did published (briefly) the caregiver's name...
There were two staff for six children....Idea Services could well have afforded a higher staffing level.
Ms Middlemiss said law changes around disability care were needed to make sure no-one else had to go through what she had endured.
Trouble is...there ARE laws...but the police seemed not to think that those laws were there to protect disabled people too.
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I'm putting this....http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/292666/mother-of-drowned-boy-says-justice-not-done here, kinda where it belongs, because it is disability abuse and its not ok.
Nathan Booker was left unsupervised in a bath 1/3rd to 1/2 full of water and he drowned.
This happened at a respite care facility in Palmerston North on the 10th January 2014.
Anyone who knew Nathan, as our family did, would know that there could be only one possible outcome from leaving Nathan alone in a bath.
To do such a thing amounts to criminal negligence.
Yet initially no one was charged after what appears to have been a cursory 'investigation', where the caregiver who had left Nathan in the bath was treated like a witness rather than as a suspect, as would have been appropriate under the circumstances.
Idea Services, who ran the facility, neglected to contact WorkSafe NZ...Worksafe found out about Nathan's death through media reports and initiated its own investigation.
WorkSafe obtained statements the police had taken during their investigation...but the police "did not take any steps to obtain information gathered by WorkSafe and assess whether it could support a criminal prosecution."
The police informed Nathan's Mum that they would not be charging anyone over Nathan's death, and Angela's account of that conversation (which of course the police dispute) loads abuse atop criminal neglect.
Ms Middlemiss later told the Authority that she did not accept the Police’s explanation for why they were not laying charges. She said Officer A had a sarcastic attitude during the meeting and, when arguing that it was unrealistic to expect constant supervision of Nathan, told her: “I could’ve done you for neglect by not sleeping in the same room as your son or [not] being in the lounge with him when he was in the lounge.”
Angela told the officer of another very similar case where the caregiver was prosecuted and sentenced 400 hours community service...
he turned around and said
to me, “You seriously want me to do this big, massive investigation for 40 hours a
week?” I said, “Yes I do.” It’s like he didn’t want to do all that work just for 40
hours a week, 40 hours a week community service or whatever it is. Forty hours’
community service. I wanted it for justice. I wanted [Ms X] to know that she did
wrong.”When I heard that this IPCA report had been released I thought perhaps that some peace could finally be found for Nathan's mother and brothers.
After reading the IPCA report, I can see how Nathan's family can still be angry and hurting.
Yes the IPCA found the police wanting, and hopefully the promised changes to procedure will lessen the chance of a repetition of such a shonky investigation in the future but I am not confident that attitudes such as those displayed by the police and Idea Services will be that readily changed.
Respect to Nathan's Mum and brothers for demanding accountability for this young man's death...
Shame on the police and Idea Services for treating his life with such disregard.
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Access: Respect, please, in reply to Christine Peet,
asked a coordinator to explain why this needs to be there, and also to remove it. Both requests have been ignored.
NO No NO!
Totally unacceptable, and breaches your rights under the Code.http://www.hdc.org.nz/the-act--code/the-code-of-rights/the-code-(full)
1) Every consumer has the right to be treated with respect.
2) Every consumer has the right to have his or her privacy respected.
Plus sheer human decency and it's none of his damned business.
The only times Peter has encountered this question is quite legitimately as part of the three yearly WOF check from the Outreach Team at the Auckland Spinal Unit.
This is largely a medical review, and such a line of questioning is quite appropriate. HOWEVER...on the form, when it is printed up and sent out to all and sundry...that question is discretely "discussed in private with Dr So and So". End of story, as it should be.
Christine...this is wrong. I know complaining is the last thing we want to do...but you may want to consider contacting your local advocate...http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/find-an-advocate.aspx Keep trying...the advocates are very busy....
Good luck.
This is just SO wrong.
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Access: How many agencies does it take…, in reply to Angela Hart,
This has been bothering me since you posted this story...
Fisher and Paykel have a kit...http://www.cpapbatteries.nz/index.php/fisher-paykel-c400.html
would this work with the machine in your home?
$600 is small change for a life, and priceless for piece of mind....methinks this would be the kind of equipment expense that would be justified from the Ministry..either through your local EMS agent or through Enhanced IF.
All else fails...a cert for a Lottery Grant.
Or, perhaps F&P could donate one?
Wouldn't hurt to try.
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Access: Social media, disability…, in reply to Hilary Stace,
And of course you would be a great representative.
Yes...if Angela and her Twin meet the very strict criteria...
The Reference Group will be made up of approximately 10 – 12 members including representatives from government agencies and Disabled People’s Organisations.
The members of the Reference Group will collectively bring the following skills and attributes:
Significant experience working within and across the disability sector
Expertise in building connections between the government and the community sector
Experience in providing high-level advice to cross-government and cross-sector initiatives
Being skilled in collaborative approaches that achieve positive change
People who can provide input and advice from the perspective of Māori, Pasifika, older people, young people, families and service providers.
Preference will be given to members who have a lived experience of disability so that the majority of members will be disabled people themselves.I'm not sure if they're looking for ordinary everyday disabled people doing daily battle with the system....