A day after the Upper House passed a motion for the immediate injection of funding into the Program of Appliances for Disabled People – a scheme that provides people with disabilities essential equipment such as wheelchairs - the Health Minister has shown her office has no idea about the program.
In response to a question asked by Upper House Greens member Ian Cohen on the costs of PADP clients using hospital beds while they wait for the delivery of essential equipment, the Minister responded that “no data is routinely available on these matters”.
“It is simply unacceptable for a Minister to take 35 days to state there is no data available on the matter,” said Mr Cohen
“What is most concerning is the contradictions made by the Minister in relation to the current waiting list backlog for PADP. It is acknowledged that there is a current backlog valued between $6-7 million and in response to my question the Minister stated “it is too soon for specific dollar values to be quantified’” said Mr Cohen.
“The systemic departmental and ministerial inertia to the $6-7 million dollar PADP backlog is leaving people with disabilities marooned and languishing in much needed hospital beds,” said Mr Cohen
Neglect of the scheme has transformed into a significant human rights issue. Without essential equipment, people with disabilities are at greater risk of suffering isolation and a lack of employment prospects, and there is potential for further injury such as pressure sores,” said Mr Cohen.
“As State Budget approaches how can the Minister and her Department make any informed and intelligent decisions about funding of the PADP scheme if they lack any substantive empirical data on scheme inefficiency costs” said Mr Cohen.
“If there is no data as stated by Minister Meagher on what basis does she claim that the Department cannot provide an additional $13.5 million per annum, as suggested in the PriceWaterhouseCooper Report and the disability sector, to fix ongoing problems with the program” said Mr Cohen.
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