‘Overworked’ NDIS carer’s plea for better support
EXHAUSTED carers within the National Disability Insurance Scheme are overworked and have little time to tend to their own needs.
The admissions came to light on Monday during NDIS Shadow Minister Bill Shorten’s visit to an Ipswich disability provider.
Joined by Member for Blair Shayne Neumann, the pair heard from staff at the Alara facility in hopes of gaining better insight into how ordinary Ipswich residents relate to the scheme.
Unfortunately, not all appeared merry as frustrated workers detailed their daily stressors.
Reported funding cuts under the Liberal National Party, and subsequent under-resourcing, proved the most pertinent.
Alara currently serves 800 disabled people and employs only 260 workers in response.
Mr Shorten said he hoped the visit would encourage further improvements to working conditions.
“The NDIS is arguably the biggest social welfare revolution in the 21st century, but we can’t take for granted that it will always be here,” he said.
“Since Labor created it in 2010 to 2013, what we’re becoming concerned about is that while it’s doing a lot of good, it’s now losing its way.”
The LNP’s proposed changes to its identification system could also force an estimated 42,000 recipients to have their eligibility scrutinised through Independent Assessments.
The LNP had disputed Labor’s claim of funding cuts and also says Independent Assessments will ensure fairness and consistency across the NDIS.
Mr Shorten said the assessments were costly and “disrespectful”.
READ MORE: Girl unable to come home for Christmas due to NDIS issue
READ MORE: Help save Christmas for our last four families in need
“That’s going to cost hundreds of millions of dollars, it’s highly disrespectful to people who are going to be in wheelchairs their whole life,” Mr Shorten said.
“Autism doesn’t come and go depending on the season, it’s causing a lot of pain and anxiety and we want to make sure we stand alongside people with disability and their carers to defend the NDIS against the LNP cuts.”
The new process comes after it was revealed last year LNP had under-delivered on funds to the sector by $4.6 billion.
Additional staff were among some of the suggestions put forward.
[Carers] don’t put their hands out for anything, but I think the system should recognise that for a couple hours people have to go to the shops or attend to their own life maintenance.”
READ MORE: ’Inviting’ safe space to expand Ipswich disability services
READ MORE: Move from aged care to own apartment saved my life
“Perhaps we could provide some fill-in support for those scarce hours, so the carer doesn’t fall over as well.”
Minister Government Services Stuart Robert said in response there had been no funding cuts to the NDIS.
“The Morrison Government allocated a further $3.9 billion to the NDIS across the forward estimates, in addition to the forecast annual expenditure of $23 billion,” he said.
Minister Robert said Independent Assessments would ensure a fair and consistent way to ensure new and existing recipients obtained the appropriate level of support.
“I want kids in Ipswich to have the same access to the NDIS as someone in Bondi and that is why Independent Assessments are so important,” he said.
