DPA New Zealand

DPA Bites August/September 2006

INTERNATIONAL

DPA believes that it has a responsibility to participate in the international community on behalf of New Zealanders who have disabilities to ensure involvement in sharing of new developments and to promote its aims.

DPA - a model for the rest of the world?

During his recent two-day visit to Wellington, the World President of Rehabilitation International (RI), Michael Fox, invited DPA to showcase our way of doing things to the rest of the world.

DPA is the only advocacy organisation world-wide that has a partnership between disabled people and our support organisations.

"This partnership has produced outstanding outcomes" says DPA CEO Gary Williams. The most obvious ones are our lobbying for a national, co-ordinated approach to disability ie. the New Zealand Disability Strategy and our respectful relationship with the Government.

"We often forget about what we've achieved and how we've done it because we just move on to the next task. Michael has given us a nice reality check and affirmed that we have lots to be proud of."

Even though his visit was brief, Mr Fox was able to meet with the Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Building & Housing, officials from the Office for Disability Issues and had dinner with Disability Issues Minister Ruth Dyson.

In meetings with DPA's National President and Vice-President, Mike Gourley and Marion Wellington respectively, RI Executive member Anne Hawker and Gary Williams, Mr Fox discussed:

At next year's RI Assembly in Tunisia, DPA has been offered the opportunity to tell our story to the world.

NEWS FROM THE NEC

Enabling ordinary living

At the July National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, Disability Services Directorate Manager Geraldine Woods outlined the requirements she believes are needed for people with disabilities to have acceptable living standards at home and in the community. She says any systems must have

  1. Quality (reliability).
  2. Equity - quality and fairness of outcomes.
  3. Simplicity - peoples understanding as to how system works.
  4. Choice - within a stated framework (including Maori).
  5. Transparency.
  6. Flexibility.
  7. Influence - the service user should have empowerment as compared to service providers and government agencies.

Geraldine would like feedback from DPA as to these seven key points and what would be the principles that would make the system work.

Working together

Parent to Parent Board members were guests at the NEC July meeting. During discussions, a number of issues of common interest to DPA and Parent to Parent were raised. They include

  1. Lack of respite carers. It is hoped the Select Committee Inquiry in August will cover matters such as this.
  2. Parents with disabilities and their relationships with CYFS - the focus is more on individuals rather than the whole family.
  3. Concerns about the variable quality of Needs Assessment & Service Co-ordination agencies.
  4. People are falling between the funding cracks within DHBs, where there are endless arguments as to whether Personal Health or Disability support should be used to provide funding.

It seems likely that DPA could work with Parent to Parent on:-

  1. Submissions to Select Committee Inquiry on care and support.
  2. Youth matters including our Youth Leadership Camp.

DPA Review

The NEC has decided that the review will be done over a two year period. There has been a lot of feedback from Regions. An external reviewer will be engaged to analyse the feedback and interview key DPA people. They will then submit a report to the NEC for consideration. At their next meeting on Saturday, 30 September, the NEC will discuss any possible recommendations to be made to the national AGM.
- from a report by Ken Talbot

RESEARCH

DPA believes that there are many issues in the field of disability that require indepth study so as to enhance the quality of life of people with disabilities. DPA will encourage such research and provide information as practicable.

Human Embryos for Research - Bioethics Council Consultation

Should human embryos be used for research in New Zealand? And if your answer is yes, where might these embryos comes from and what might be the end result of such research?

These are key questions asked by the Bioethics Council in a consultation beginning on 15 August. The Cultural, Ethical and Spiritual Aspects of using Human Embryos for Research is a booklet aimed at stimulating discussion, which you can get from the Bioethics Council Secretariat (Chappie Te Kaani, 04 439 7652, chappie.tekani@mife.govt.nz) . Another way of getting involved is taking part in a seminar on 25 September at Wellington's Michael Fowler Centre, where broadcaster Linda Clark will chair the meeting 'Talking Embryos'. There is an email discussion on the Bioethics Council's website, www.bioethics.govt.nz, and it is also possible to make a written submission to the government's Advisory Committee on Assisted Reproduction Technology (ACART), www.newhealth.govt.nz/acart.

Those who don't want to get formally involved in the discussion can send their thoughts to DPA researcher Wendi Wicks at the national office, email wendi@dpa.org.nz. If you prefer, you can make your views known to NEC member David Tamatea, who is also a member of ACART. Contact him at david.tamatea@xtra.co.nz, or phone 06 761 8202.

EQUIPMENT

DPA believes that people with disabilities have a right to equipment on an equitable basis that provides them with a lifestyle appropriate to their needs.

No surprises

Lack of information, delays and waiting times, regional inconsistency and lack of follow-up are just some of the findings of the just-released Environmental Support Services (ESS) Review undertaken by the Disability Resource Centre (DRC) for the Ministry of Health.

The idea of the Review was to check how well these support services were person-centred, efficient and making fair and effective use of available funding. It was also to find ways of improving criteria for access and eligibility, making them easier to understand and work better for people with disabilities.

Underlying problems included the well-known disparity between people covered by ACC and those whose funding comes from health sources. The Review found a 'mal-alignment' between the NZ Disability Strategy and Health Ministry policy and funding as well as no clear philosophy underpinning ESS services. The separation between daily living, vocational, and educational funding systems run by different Government agencies supplying services makes an holistic approach to meeting disabled people's needs 'very fragmented', particularly for children and deaf or hearing impaired people.

DRC made 28 short-and-medium term recommendations and proposed a totally new framework in the longer term. This would set up a single funding board with oversight of three boards which would deal with purchasing, service user satisfaction and standards, and a single national agency to manage, repair and evaluate equipment.

'It's a brave attempt to resolve the issues, especially as no extra money is available,' commented Wendi Wicks, DPA's national policy researcher, who is particularly concerned about the identification of a major gap in sensory disability support. The proposed purchasing body would have to be accepted by all present funders; if any remained outside it there would be serious problems, she said.

'The service user body in the mix also needs real teeth and control over the appointments to the boards, or there will be some serious power issues,' she said.

OTHER NEWS

DPA in the news

Inconsistency or a hidden agenda?

In late June, DPA President Mike Gourley pointed out that that the full report into antenatal screening for Down syndrome is at odds with National Screening Unit (NSU) claims. He quoted the report's finding that the current screening process 'has failed to reduce the number of babies born with undiagnosed Trisomy 21 [Down syndrome]' while the NSU claims this is not the issue.

"While DPA agrees that current screening processes need to be reviewed, we are alarmed that this may be happening with a view to eliminating a group of disabled people,' he said.

"Currently, the report and surrounding discussions are focused solely on the number of 'healthy' foetuses that may suffer through current screening practices. The rights of people with Down syndrome are ignored which is of great concern."

Mike said that people born with Down syndrome are not a cost to society and their skills, talent and potential need to be respected. Further, they should be involved in the review. 'A committee discussing a process that directly affects people with Down syndrome must find ways to include the people who live with the syndrome,' he said.

Excluding immigrants with disabilities bad for New Zealand

In June DPA said it was 'alarmed' that the review of the Immigration Act could discriminate against disabled people. The Human Rights Commission said that excluding immigrants on health grounds could breach international covenants on human rights.

"Disabled people currently contribute enormously to the New Zealand economy and potential immigrants to this country should not be excluded on the grounds that they might be deaf, or have epilepsy, or use a wheelchair," said Mike Gourley.

"Currently, New Zealand is being credited for its leadership in getting an international disability rights convention adopted by the United Nations. It will damage our international reputation if, simultaneously, legislation is passed that breaches other international rights treaties," he said.

Mobility Rules

During the DPA National Review, a request came in for some information about the 'road' rules governing use of mobility scooters, electric wheelchairs and the like. The issue is also topical after a mobility scooter rider skittled a pedestrian on a footpath and was prosecuted for it.

Early last year new rules were set by law for motorised mobility aids with a power output of 200 watts or less, or powered by a motor of 1500 watts or less, making it clear they are not motorized vehicles (which would have meant they should use the road).

Land Transport Rule 61001 makes it clear that users of these mobility aids must drive on a footpath unless there isn't one, in which case they must stay as close as possible to the edge of the roadway.

On the footpath they must drive carefully and considerately and at a safe speed for other footpath users. At the same time, pedestrians must not 'unduly impede' their progress. Riders of wheeled recreational devices (scooters and the like) must give way to drivers of mobility devices as well as pedestrians.

You don't need to have a driver's licence nor does the mobility device have to be registered or have a warrant of fitness (though it's advisable to have it serviced regularly and given a safety check every six months). If you are involved in a crash, you must stop and if need be help anyone who is injured, and report any injury accident to the Police within 24 hours. Careless use or speeding can cop a fine of up to $1000 and if you cause an injury crash you could be convicted of careless or inconsiderate use of a vehicle and fined more, or imprisoned.

The Land Transport Safety Authority puts out a Factsheet (number 31) covering these points, and a free booklet, Guidelines when using your electric wheelchair and mobility scooter, has been published by Age Concern Flaxmere, P O Box 15066, Hastings, tel 06 879 7003, email ageconcernflax@xtra.co.nz

International Award to NZ Journalist

Kylee Maloney is one of this year's winners in the prestigious "Voice" awards for mental health journalism. Kylee, who produces and presents "One in Five", the disability issues programme on Radio New Zealand, will be presented with her award in Los Angeles on Wednesday August 23. Our warmest congratulations to Kylee, as the award recognizes the outstanding skill and professionalism of her work.