Posts by Rosemary McDonald
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The latest in the saga of Nathan's death in the 'care' of Idea Services.
While I struggle to have much sympathy for this woman...I am concerned as to whether she has proper legal representation...and who is paying for that.
From this report...http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/67213437/Nathan-Bookers-death-totally-preventable-says-judge
It would appear that there was "deficiencies in staff training and uncertainty around procedures and policies as the root causes of Nathan's death. "
There were two staff on duty caring for six clients....some with very high needs.
It appears that Nathan drowned while both carers were trying to manage the behaviour of another client.
I am pretty sure that Idea Services will argue that there was not enough 'investment' from MOH:DSS to employ extra staff...even if only to cover the bath and bed period.
Now, Idea Services Income/Expenditure chat makes interesting reading.
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Hilary Stace,
Thanks Hilary...i will try and push aside my prejudice and give it a proper read later..(when my barbed wire filled sinuses clear a bit).
BUT, having gone to that do in Auckland last week, and heard that IF will potentially lead to low pay and worker insecurity...I zoomed to that section of this document.
NZDSN do not like IF, and I'm pretty sure they have spread the impression that it is bad for the worker. Low pay, no security.
GREAT, that at that meeting, IF users spoke loud and clear about being able to pay $18-20 per hour for the right staff.
My second point would be, FWIW, is how about NZDSN members make it easy for us plebs to access their financial reports...so we can be more sympathetic to their constant cry that worker demands for higher pay will need more "investment' by government. Profits/operating surplus figures should be readily available. A quick skim of the "charities"....they're doing alright thank you very much.
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Time Warp, anyone?
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Polity: Too much to swallow on the TPP, in reply to Russell Brown,
From your link...
Hon STEVEN JOYCE: It was not the Minister of Trade per se who misunderstood the speaker; it was the Minister who was speaking on the Minister’s behalf in Parliament yesterday who misunderstood the situation. He, of course, has been told by the Minister not to speak for the Minister today and that the Minister would get another Minister to speak on his behalf.
WTF?
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Tom Adson,
AB....Able Bodied
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Tom Adson,
Patience is important, but so is vigilance by those who need to be served, and their task is to keep the process moving by keeping up the critique and sprinkling salt on the tail. Don’t give up!
Last year Peter and I attended a working bee organised by a club we are members of. We were doing some groundwork on a newly acquired property, one of a number the club has, to make it more user friendly for the members. Peter beetled around the worksite in his wheelchair, dispensing positive reinforcement while I tried to do both our share of the grunt work.
There was morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea. Peter was (we thought) conspicuous as the only wheelchair user....although the club does have a number of mobility impaired members as our demographic tends towards the older age group.
We visited the newly opened property some months later, on our travels. Very nice and tidy, with a lovely shed as a gathering and happy hour room.
The shed, newly built and permitted, was in no way shape or form accessible.
A similar issue with another of our club's properties....there is an excellently accessible DOC track next door....but no one had thought to make any of the entrances between the properties accessible.....to any one without rappelling gear.
And, yes. Being pro active, we did remonstrate, with all the grace and dignity we could muster. We even flicked them a copy of The NZ Standard. Apologies were made. Excuses were made.
One gets tired, Tom.
Most ABs don't see those with mobility issues. We have observed that some 70% of ABs literally choose not to see someone with obvious disability.
And we get around a lot.
Peter had an incident in the main street in Kaitaia. The footpaths in the main street are wheelchair heaven, so Peter often goes off on his own as he can get around without my help.
He was slowly ( and I mean slowly) negotiating a group of yoof lounging around a coffee shop when one deliberately stuck out his leg so Peter had no option to run into it. No speed and no injury...but what a fuss.
The little arsehole came close to putting my man off exercising the little amount of independence his disability and our built environment allows him.
No, we won't give up...but we are getting a little less tolerant of ignorance....
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Speaker: Protesting private prisons, in reply to Ian Dalziel,
There is no way any Government should be allowed to sell the care of its citizens into the hands of profit-driven corporations.
Back in 2010...http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10679855...Allied Work Force was
eyeing an opportunity in the lucrative healthcare sector, </q?. A company <q> well experienced in employment and recruitment.
Shortly thereafter a friend, an ACC client, was sent a carer by Panacea who last job had been on a forestry workcrew...he was not happy. (the friend, that is, although having to shift from wielding a chainsaw one day to performing very personal cares the next might have been a challenge for the worker.)
However, it turned out that the lucrative healthcare sector was not such a good investment, and AWF bailed....
Mr Hull says ACC is tightening up on areas around funding and rationalisation of ownership. He felt the services on offer may have inhibited business growth for both Panacea and AWF.
“We have been personally surprised at how similar the challenges are. Some of the services are outcome-based but essentially it’s people working by the hour in the field.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/awf-exits-health-service-acc-blamed-bc-127284
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Tom Adson,
recognising that the basic need could not be disputed.
More of a 'right' some would argue....
which, it would appear, is not a 'right' at all.
http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/govt-decision-barrier-employment-disabled-people-ccs/5/226890
With a bit of prescience Tom, you and your colleagues could have stalled for a few years and been able to legally avoid the effort.
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Hilary Stace,
a cut in the disability allowance
There's been a couple of media reports about this....we were warned. It'll be Peter's turn next.
And regarding Peter, and his 45 years of Living With Impairment, and never feeling more disabled than he does now...and..
thinking about your question.....
What would you do?
...we re-read your original post and every single comment that followed.
Peter came to the conclusion you answered your own question in your original post.
Who are the experts? I suggest this hierarchy:
People with autism
Family/whānau members/carers
Professionals/clinicians/ teachers/teacher aides/carer (and the closer to the autistic child the less the status and pay)
NGOs and community groups
Public servants/academics
Politicians(Substitute 'disabled' for 'autism' if/where appropriate.)
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Sacha,
dsrg-summarynotes_13_december_2013 (1).doc
The job you are talking about may have an impressive-sounding title, but has very little real power to change anything.
The Kathy Brightwell who's name was on the original posting for this position was, in fact the Manager for DSS Policy. At the time of the Consultation for Paying Family Carers....http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/consultation-paying-family-carers-provide-disability-support-2012
Kathy Brightwell was the front person for all of the Public Consultation Workshops for the same.
And as I said earlier...I understand that she was one of the authors of the Funded Family Care Policy.
She is now (acting?) Group Manager for Disability Support Services.
An enviable track record of meeting the requirement of the advertised position...
Responsiveness to the Government of the day
• Development of excellent public policy skills
• A rich understanding of machinery of government
• Development of sound, evidenced based, approach to health and disability policy issues
• Excellent consultation techniques that ensure effective, innovative and appropriate consultation that enriches the development of policy advice.
• Effective cross Ministry collaboration