Goodness...go to Facebook and join in...or not
Today I emailed Hon David Clark, Hon Julie-Anne Genter and Hon Carmel Sepuloni regarding the Government's announcement of a review of New Zealand's health and disability system.
I said while I congratulate the Government's commitment to wellness and a more effective, efficient health system, I am concerned that the Terms of Reference state that the "Disability System [is]...outside the scope of the review" (p3).
I notice that the Enabling Good Lives (EGL) prototype is mentioned but I would like the Government to consider amending the review's scope.
EGL was set up under a National Government and, given the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness of the current Ministry of Health Disability Support Service framework, I would have thought this review provided an opportunity to evaluate the EGL model and transformation process to ensure it, too, is aligned with the wellness outcomes of the entire health system.
Disabled people are often badly treated by the mainstream health system. This is because health professionals are misinformed about disability and/or fail to understand the difference between a health symptom and an impairment-related symptom. This review, in my opinion, needs to address these problems.
Calling this a "review of New Zealand's health and disability system", where the Terms of Reference explicitly exclude the disability system, is misleading. If the review is only of the health system, I believe the Government needs to be transparent about this and, accordingly, front up to the disability community, which is currently woefully under-serviced by the system, and explain the omission.
Watch this space – I'll let you know what responses I get from the ministers.