Page 2867 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 14 August 2018
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I felt comfortable that if there were any broader government-wide implications the Chief or the head of service would have picked them up.
Contrary to Minister Rattenbury’s view, I believe there are obvious government-wide implications from the decision to restructure ACT Health. For example, there are clear implications for disability services in the ACT. People with a disability use health services more regularly than ordinary Canberrans. Many people with mental health and health issues have received or sought funding from the NDIS.
We know from groups such as Cystic Fibrosis ACT, Epilepsy ACT and Arthritis ACT that there is little real communication between disability advocacy and health advocacy groups. Both Cystic Fibrosis ACT and Epilepsy ACT took the opportunity on the community interest day to meet with the estimates committee to outline their frustrations.
Epilepsy ACT have been assisting people in Canberra for over 30 years. They told the committee that statistics show that two to four per cent of the population manage epilepsy at home at some time in their lives. Epilepsy ACT provides accessible support, case management, information and education for people living with epilepsy. Epilepsy ACT is yet another victim of the transition to the NDIS—another orphan in the system that provides a valuable service at little cost to government but now does not seem to fit the new formula. Disability says they ought to look to the Health Directorate. The Health Directorate does not know want to do with them, and we are left with an organisation that has assisted Canberrans for so long being left in limbo.
The committee recommended that the government develop a policy around peppercorn rents and assistance being continued within this context in the future. I note the Chief Minister has advised this morning that the government has agreed to that.
Cystic Fibrosis ACT is a locally based not-for-profit and sole support provider to about 100 individuals living with cystic fibrosis. Most are treated by specialist teams at the Canberra Hospital, and CFACT works closely with those teams. The adult cystic fibrosis clinic is held off site at the west Belconnen health centre. Like Epilepsy ACT, CFACT is not funded through the NDIS.
The committee recommended that the government undertake work to consider the viability of moving the cystic fibrosis clinic to Canberra Hospital to ensure all Canberrans with cystic fibrosis are able to access the full suite of tests and allied professionals they require. Again, I note the government has agreed to undertake work to consider this. I trust this is an objective assessment and not just lip-service. I note that, Madam Deputy Speaker, you spoke on the importance of this service.
Arthritis sufferers and seniors who used the hydrotherapy pool at Canberra Hospital were another group of forgotten people when a decision was announced in early June that the pool was to close at the end of that month, with services relocated to the University of Canberra rehabilitation hospital. Users apparently heard through the grapevine about the closure and were not formally told by ACT Health before the announcement appeared in the media.
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