Posts by Rosemary McDonald
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Sacha,
They take down the files when job applications close. Might be so in this case.
Manager Disability Policy
Posted on 22-Jul-2015Application Close Date: 28-Jul-2015
Location:
Wellington
Category:
Management
Position Type:
Permanent
Job Reference:
MOH/1171801
Attachments:
Note clipManager Disability Policy JD July 2015.doc (Word, 92KB)
Still got 'til Monday.... -
Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Angela Hart,
And thanks Angela, bold works much better than the CAPITALS.
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Well said Angela, and much clearer than my bitter ramblings.
I would add...that honesty and integrity be built into the foundations.
It seems to me that the potential for groups and individuals to manipulate the system to their financial advantage was built into the current system by the Ministry of Health.
Accidentally?
Maybe, but the very fact that none of family carers who were being paid (by providers or through IF) under the old (pre- PHDAct amendment) policy came forward to support the Atkinson plaintiffs, suggests that it suited the Ministry to have those who could give a valid account of how having a family member as a paid carer was of benefit were silenced.
And still, today, so many disabled people and their families are too frightened to speak out for fear of repercussions from the Ministry of Health.
This needs to change
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Hilary Stace,
What do you think this person could actually do to improve things,
Read just half of the documents produced about/around disability by various government departments over the past twenty years.
Hear the voices of people and their families when various interviewers (hired by the Govt.) have asked them about their lives, their challenges, their needs and their hopes.
The documents speak volumes, and it has all been said.
But no one seems to have listened.
Interesting you used the term "monolithic structures".
I was having a conversation about leaky homes the other day and that term came up.
"monolithic construction" The pouring of concrete grade beam and floor slab together to form a building foundation.
Now, that could very well produce a sound and weather tight building. Solid, and very difficult to change.However...monolithic cladding... https://www.consumer.org.nz/articles/monolithic-cladding...is a beast of a different species.
Its a veneer, a thin coating, masquerading as a sound, functional and valuable building.
Serious problems? The experts recommend removal of the veneer or destruction. It's a fairly flimsy building, so won't take much effort.
So what do we have in the Ministry of Health: Disability Support Services?
Do we have an agency that is solid, unchangeable and going to require dynamite to change it? ( That is NOT a threat, trolls)
Or do we have a cladding, a veneer that has been patched up over the years to make it look good but the framing is quietly rotting away?
<q>financially tight government<q/>
Again, interesting you bring up the $$$, as I did an exercise the other day to calculate just how much 'surplus' (for the 'non -profits') or profit (for the profits) were/are making by paying a family carer...NOT under Funded Family Care.
The Ministry of Health funds the provider at $26.41 per hour for a client's care.
That's $1056.40 per week for 40 hours of care.
The family carer is being paid say $17 per hour. $680 per week, gross.
The balance being...$376.40 out of which comes the usual employer deductions, approximately 16% of the gross wage...$108.00 per week.
So, by my very rough calculations, the provider is clearing about $268 per week.
For running a payroll for one client and one carer.
That's 25% of the total gross funding from the Ministry....for doing nothing but putting the numbers into the payroll system.
Now, in 2012, Peter (who worked for over thirty years in a busy office....sometimes doing the payroll) and I wandered down to Wellington and hassled our way into the Beehive for a wee chat about a cost effective mechanism for Paying Family Carers.
One that was fair and non discriminatory.
We KNEW that the above arrangements were common from providers...and we felt that an 18-20% reduction in the bulk hourly rate to a provider if it was a family member being paid was appropriate...and made sound economic sense...ticked all the boxes. The provider was doing NOTHING for their 25%.
So what did the Ministry do?
The diabolical Funded Family Care has been a winner, financially, with the low uptake...but...how many providers are STILL paying family carers (despite the legislation preventing that)?
So, please, Ministry of Health officials, MPs, don't talk to me about 'financial constraints'.
You passed up an opportunity to satisfy NZBORA and the HRA and potentially save (we estimate) at least 10% of the cost of providing decent care for those who chose family as their carer.
And let the providers keep their snouts in the trough.
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Angela Hart,
have not moved.
Talking about not moving….or movement at glacial speed (although global warming may have undermined that analogy!).
The Minister for Health announced just….yesterday…http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/350175/new-policy-spinal-cord-injuries
It also means that rehabilitation can start sooner so optimal long-term outcomes can be achieved.”
If the patient is suffering other critical injuries they may need to be taken to the nearest hospital for life-saving treatment, and then on to the specialist spinal unit at the three hospitals.
BUT, trawling through my archives, I found the document posted above, saying…
treatment includes stabilisation and stabilisation of other physical systems…
The risk to the client at this phase is that further injury can occur through inexperienced handling at the site of the injury or later, and inadequate surgical intervention.The document, well if you’re interested you can read it yourself…but its essentially saying exactly what the 2015 MOH/ACC Spinal Cord Action Plan…http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/new-zealand-spinal-cord-impairment-action-plan-2014-2019… says…the one that prompted the happy clappy announcement from Uncle Jonathon.
A pity that it is twenty years on from the last “plan”.
and hey! here it is , still on the MOH website...
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I'll start a conversation, with the Public Servants, about Disability Policy, since we now have a document that clearly outlines the priorities for the Manager of Disability Policy for the Ministry of Health. ( see, I'm really trying to be respectful here)
Issue Number One.
..to support the delivery of first class policy advice the Policy Business Unit expects policy staff and teams to demonstrate:
• Responsiveness to the Government of the dayRespectfully...no.
"First class policy advice" on supports for New Zealand citizens and permanent residents eligible for government funding should be formulated so no matter who the Government of the day is, the supports and the policies remain stable. The entitlements should remain stable. Of all the specific groups that are entitled (yes...I used the dirty E word) to MoH funded care under the Public Health and Disability Act, those with disabilities are arguably in greatest need of security around supports available.
A change of Government should not make this group of people feel insecure,
In fact, perhaps there should be another line added to
• 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 collaborationalong the lines of...
- Demonstrates an understanding and awareness of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- Ensure cross-Party agreement for disability policy, and creates policy that endures.
That will do for now.Now, how about a Public Servant being brave enough to front up and hold a conversation...in good faith,
And I know that Public Servants like the idea of "good faith", because it is footnote no. 11 in the Funded Family Care Notice, in memory serves...
11 Good faith generally means to discuss with each other any matter which affects the delivery of the disability support services in an open way so that all matters are “on the table”, to be active and constructive in establishing and maintaining a good relationship, being responsive, providing information, and not doing anything that might mislead or deceive each other.
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Tom Adson,
Manager Disability Policy JD July 2015 (1).doc
How many public servants and other groups read this blog?
Now, that's an interesting question.
Oh, and I saved a copy of the disappearing Job Description....
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Hilary Stace,
Also some slightly defensive ones by overworked and under-resourced public servants.
Hah! Those public servants who are happy to take the dollars to meet the job description....
"• Responsiveness to the Government of the day
• Development of excellent public policy skills
• A rich understanding of machinery of government"Now...I would put up a link to this...but bugger me if it hasn't been put behind some sort of security screen since yesterday. Oh dear! Am I in the shit, again?
Clearly, those 'overworked public servants" have been checking up at who has been reading Job Descriptions and perhaps making VALID criticisms...like NO mention of the UN Convention for the Rights of People with Disabilities which...if one of those "overworked public servants" wandered over to the ODI they would find it should underpin ALL government policies involving disabled people.
Coming down off my high horse Hilary, Natrad interviewed someone regarding the AA conference...I won't link to it for obvious reasons...very interesting.
When I've calmed down a bit, it would be good to have a conversation about better collaboration between disabled people (and family) and public servants.
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Access: Disability as a wicked policy problem, in reply to Tom Adson,
Many of the disabled people who have never transgressed the law are imprisoned in more subtle ways by stigma, discrimination and prejudice, and the incapacity imposed by their condition.
A word from the wise Tom...don't ever be tempted to point out that prisoners are better resourced than those with disabilities. EVER.
Even though it is true, and that prisoners still have their rights to take their issues to the Courts for judicial review, some on the left take real umbrage at one pointing this out.
As I have learned to my cost.
Over here, http://thestandard.org.nz/, where I wander occasionally, there is a post up about the courts telling the Government that not allowing prisoners the vote is "BAD law". This judgement is being hailed as a NZ first...the courts giving the Government the smack down on legislation it has enacted that breaches NZ Bill of Rights Act.
This is not so.
There was a couple of cases recently that the Courts told the Gummint..."you did BAD.", but because this was about people with disabilities...went completely under the radar....like the cases never happened.
I despair.
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Up Front: Well, Read Women, in reply to Rich Lock,
Yep. I have somewhere a copy circa 1974...and we all knew at high school it was not actually a real diary, by a real girl called Alice.
It was a VERY popular book...in the school library, and containing some really interesting language and themes.