The Deputy Commissioner Disability, Rose Wall, is calling for a consistent quality framework to be developed and implemented across the disability support sector, including proactive monitoring and reporting of the experiences of disabled people.
“Such a framework would enable better monitoring of the support delivered to tāngata whaikaha|disabled people. It would also set clear expectations, which would help people to communicate their concerns when these expectations are not met.”
Ms Wall has today released a report on five years of complaints made to HDC about residential disability support services. The report makes recommendations on how to improve the quality of support provided to disabled people living in these settings. It draws together insights from the collective experiences of disabled people, alongside findings from HDC’s assessment and investigation of these complaints.
“I acknowledge that the disability sector is under pressure and most people working in the sector are committed to supporting disabled people to live good lives. However, it is critical that robust safeguards are in place to uphold disabled people’s rights, and that there are responsive pathways for people to raise concerns and make complaints. This thematic report has given me an opportunity to make recommendations that will further strengthen the quality of supports provided to disabled people.”
Ms Wall further commented, “HDC’s report is being released ahead of the forthcoming final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, which will shine a light on the abuse of disabled people in residential settings. Their findings will no doubt have lasting reverberations for the provision of support for all disabled people — and HDC will be looking to support their recommendations, as well as examining the learnings that HDC can apply to our own work.”
HDC acknowledges the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) Committee’s concerns that New Zealand does not have a comprehensive strategy to deinstitutionalise the disability sector. HDC supports the Committee’s recommendations and guidelines toward continued deinstitutionalisation, and makes some recommendations and comment in the report to encourage the continued development of community-based alternatives to residential support.
Ms Wall supports the recommendations made in a 2023 Whaikaha-commissioned report for managing complaints about a large residential disability service provider. She also encourages Whaikaha to support the development of tāngata whaikaha Māori-led disability support services; to communicate better with the disability community about progress to roll out EGL systems transformation nationally; and to consider making its Choice in Community Living programme available nationwide.
Ms Wall acknowledged the government’s current independent review of disability support services administered by Whaikaha, and she has urged the review panel to ensure that the voices of tāngata whaikaha|disabled people are central, particularly in the development of its recommendations.
“While I am disappointed there are no tāngata whaikaha Māori or disability community leaders on the panel, I encourage the panel to make sure it takes into consideration the articles of te Tiriti o Waitangi and the UNCRPD, as well as the principles of Enabling Good Lives, in its recommendations.”
Ms Wall also asks the independent review panel on Whaikaha services to have a strong focus on guaranteeing the sector-wide quality of disability supports and sustainable work-force planning, including career pathways, job upskilling, and training opportunities for residential disability support staff. She notes that the Aged Care Funding and Services Model Review could provide a possible road map and further justification for the development of a similar review of disability sector funding.
“I will be monitoring the disability sector’s response to the recommendations I have made in our report and will continue to work collaboratively with the sector where appropriate to promote the rights of disabled people, highlight the experiences of disabled people in the health and disability system, and address areas of shared concern.”
17 July 2024