HDC has a key role to play in protecting the rights of disabled people | tāngata whaikaha. The Deputy Commissioner, Disability is focused on the rights of disabled people | tāngata whaikaha when using health and disability services. While our resource in this area remains extremely limited, ultimately our goal is to improve the health and disability system to better meet the individual needs of disabled people | tāngata whaikaha, now and in the future, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the principles of Enabling Good Lives.
HDC supports disabled people | tāngata whaikaha to understand their rights and ensures that their complaints are handled fairly. Our aim is to improve the quality and responsiveness of health and disability supports and services by working closely with communities and other agencies to understand and respond to changing landscapes and expectations of care.
Disabled people | tāngata whaikaha face extra barriers when engaging with health and disability supports and services and have poorer health and life outcomes compared to non- disabled people. They are also at higher risk of abuse, neglect and harm.
HDC has been improving how we measure and report on issues we hear from disabled people | tāngata whaikaha. In 2024, HDC released a first of its kind report on residential disability support. It contained recommendations to improve the quality of these services, including the creation of a consistent quality framework for all funded disability supports.
HDC has been developing a disability strategy to support the rights of disabled people | tāngata whaikaha to be better understood and upheld when they engage with the health and disability system and with HDC.