More, thoughtlessness and lack of care. Outdated systems, stressed staff, lack of investment, inadequate understanding of disability = poor decisions making by senior managers.
JFC!! As if it’s not bad enough as it is already!! I found they’d taken three respite days off me that I hadn’t used and thank god I kept the paperwork to get it back. Now they do this, the 🤬🤬🤬!! I definitely have NOT received any communication from the MOH about this change. Thanks so much for your mahi, Bex!!! 🙏
Well done you! And yes, exhausting and frustrating and so unnecessary too. The comms were horrendous. At least we have our networks to share information with each other!
Another case of CoC conspiracy or cockup? Given the hint (again) of cruelty I’d weight it towards deliberate. If we can have a second Covid Enquiry maybe the next government could organise an inquiry into the 18 month campaign to disadvantage any or all in the disabled community? Who is driving this?
I honestly don't think there is that level of design or ability. It seems to be a combination of outdated IT systems, disconnected and overworked staff, and lack of care for those of ground. This creates the conditions for poor decision-making and callousness. The frustrating part is if they'd just worked well with their partners and community groups, it could have been done quite tidily and well. Wouldn't have even required extra funding! So, more stupidity and a stressed system than anything else I think?
"It seems to be a combination of outdated IT systems, disconnected and overworked staff, and lack of care for those on the ground" is hitting the nail on the head. Of course the hammer is the:
- The in real terms per captia funding cuts to services,
- The slashing of Health NZ staffing levels, and
- NGOs having to compete in Hunger Games type contests to fight over contract renewals and funding
And for what? To assist paying for the $2.9 billion tax breaks to Landlord, $216 million to tobacco companies, and the $15 billion tax cuts that disproportionately favour higher income earners.
Add to that list the kicking the can down the road of the reviews the disability community were told were being done, and you can see how callous this Coalition of Cruelty is to those needing and deserving support, aka 'the nails'!
It's heartbreaking. There are people really struggling to use their career support and this is just another struggle. I dread to think how many people have given up on their hours due to the challenges last year and now this.
so much so, and particularly in the elderly community - who often don’t use all the hours they are allocated anyway, and this creates another challenge/barrier to accessing support
Definitely! If anything, things need to be made easier (I know that's stating the obvious). One of my mum-in-laws friends who is a very styly on-to-it 80 year old, had never used a computer mouse until recently!!
Ooooh dear..... the past eighteen months have been very wearisome. One thing after another. Thankyou for keeping us all informed - and for your refreshing pics too.
Thanks Dr Bex, once again we are indebted to you and others for having to react to a last second , non-consulted on, uncommunicated change to Disability Carer Support.
I don’t see it as a rant, more a factual account, and laying out the consequences yet again on behalf of the community.
Thanks for your mahi as always - and all your appearances at the Finance and Expenditure Committee submitting on the RSB. I hope you do get a lovely dose of sunshine, and time for some winter garden bloom viewing this weekend.
FFS. I am appalled that this action was not communicated. That's what happens when you get rid of the workforce who knows what they are doing instead of bean counters
Hi Bex, thank you for this information. It is just another callous and cruel action by a bunch of number crunching idiots who probably go home to their warm, dry home with a full pantry of food, unlimited internet and they can manage their power bills and have full insurance. The basics of living above the poverty line in other words. For a miserable $80 a day...these wonderful people allow me to pop out and do things, those who come and stay for a couple of days so that I can do ordinary things like go to a rock concert? Because without them, creates a barrier for me to be social, to be a sister, and aunty, a partner...to enjoy ordinary things. Keep ranting Bex, raise the roof.
Thanks Jan. This could have been so easy to do well, without necessarily requiring any additional resource - just working well with others. So frustrating to see it bundled so badly.
The timing seems deliberate to me - right at the end of the school holidays, when many grandparents have, like me, cared for their disabled grandchildren because we are the only people who will do it. Many in my age group don't have much tech savvy and may well struggle to apply. The paperwork was bad enough, but this may be beyond many people.
I'm not sure that level of thought has gone into it tbh. Mostly seems to be thoughtlessness combined with poor systems and disconnected staff, resulting in callousness/lack of care.
Another example of understaffing, perhaps. And definitely moving Whaikaha into DSW and disconnecting from people that actually understand disability would contribute to this.
🥺 You are entitled to rant... Obviously it's not about YOU but all the people for whom this causes difficulty & stress that could have easily been avoided. I tend to think it wasn't malicious but rather a result of a lack of understanding eg assuming EVERYONE can access & is proficient in Internet based systems.🤷🏻♀️
I am the contact point for an elderly relative whose service providers stopped using posted statements & advisories & email everything 😵💫 Admirable on one level to cut down on waste, but when you neither have an Internet connection, nor could use a public one if your life depended on it, it is not equitable - what happens to those who have no one to help? 🥺😡
We've only just been granted carer support and the only way I knew about the change was because Facebook's creepy algorithm presented me a post from Carers NZ. I then sent the information on to a whānau member who normally sends the form in via the post. Thanks for your mahi on this, they must do better
Think you are right Bex have to be loud at the moment to try to get through. So unbelievably thoughtless and heartless to just change something so important to carers with no notice.
More, thoughtlessness and lack of care. Outdated systems, stressed staff, lack of investment, inadequate understanding of disability = poor decisions making by senior managers.
JFC!! As if it’s not bad enough as it is already!! I found they’d taken three respite days off me that I hadn’t used and thank god I kept the paperwork to get it back. Now they do this, the 🤬🤬🤬!! I definitely have NOT received any communication from the MOH about this change. Thanks so much for your mahi, Bex!!! 🙏
Well done you! And yes, exhausting and frustrating and so unnecessary too. The comms were horrendous. At least we have our networks to share information with each other!
Another case of CoC conspiracy or cockup? Given the hint (again) of cruelty I’d weight it towards deliberate. If we can have a second Covid Enquiry maybe the next government could organise an inquiry into the 18 month campaign to disadvantage any or all in the disabled community? Who is driving this?
I honestly don't think there is that level of design or ability. It seems to be a combination of outdated IT systems, disconnected and overworked staff, and lack of care for those of ground. This creates the conditions for poor decision-making and callousness. The frustrating part is if they'd just worked well with their partners and community groups, it could have been done quite tidily and well. Wouldn't have even required extra funding! So, more stupidity and a stressed system than anything else I think?
"It seems to be a combination of outdated IT systems, disconnected and overworked staff, and lack of care for those on the ground" is hitting the nail on the head. Of course the hammer is the:
- The in real terms per captia funding cuts to services,
- The slashing of Health NZ staffing levels, and
- NGOs having to compete in Hunger Games type contests to fight over contract renewals and funding
And for what? To assist paying for the $2.9 billion tax breaks to Landlord, $216 million to tobacco companies, and the $15 billion tax cuts that disproportionately favour higher income earners.
Add to that list the kicking the can down the road of the reviews the disability community were told were being done, and you can see how callous this Coalition of Cruelty is to those needing and deserving support, aka 'the nails'!
Rant over!
Yes, perhaps. I do feel for good people who can’t do good work because the system is collapsing (or rather being demolished) around them.
It's heartbreaking. There are people really struggling to use their career support and this is just another struggle. I dread to think how many people have given up on their hours due to the challenges last year and now this.
so much so, and particularly in the elderly community - who often don’t use all the hours they are allocated anyway, and this creates another challenge/barrier to accessing support
Definitely! If anything, things need to be made easier (I know that's stating the obvious). One of my mum-in-laws friends who is a very styly on-to-it 80 year old, had never used a computer mouse until recently!!
Ooooh dear..... the past eighteen months have been very wearisome. One thing after another. Thankyou for keeping us all informed - and for your refreshing pics too.
Thank you! I feel like something to lift ones spirits is needed amongst the grim!!
Thanks Dr Bex, once again we are indebted to you and others for having to react to a last second , non-consulted on, uncommunicated change to Disability Carer Support.
I don’t see it as a rant, more a factual account, and laying out the consequences yet again on behalf of the community.
Thanks for your mahi as always - and all your appearances at the Finance and Expenditure Committee submitting on the RSB. I hope you do get a lovely dose of sunshine, and time for some winter garden bloom viewing this weekend.
Thank you 😊
Ooh glad I spotted this! Thank you for writing/posting it. Rant gladly accepted as an update 👍 As I'm a Carer Support worker, my "boss" needs to know.
FFS!! Thanks though Doc, you're the best. I'll share this around!
FFS. I am appalled that this action was not communicated. That's what happens when you get rid of the workforce who knows what they are doing instead of bean counters
Hi Bex, thank you for this information. It is just another callous and cruel action by a bunch of number crunching idiots who probably go home to their warm, dry home with a full pantry of food, unlimited internet and they can manage their power bills and have full insurance. The basics of living above the poverty line in other words. For a miserable $80 a day...these wonderful people allow me to pop out and do things, those who come and stay for a couple of days so that I can do ordinary things like go to a rock concert? Because without them, creates a barrier for me to be social, to be a sister, and aunty, a partner...to enjoy ordinary things. Keep ranting Bex, raise the roof.
Thanks Jan. This could have been so easy to do well, without necessarily requiring any additional resource - just working well with others. So frustrating to see it bundled so badly.
The timing seems deliberate to me - right at the end of the school holidays, when many grandparents have, like me, cared for their disabled grandchildren because we are the only people who will do it. Many in my age group don't have much tech savvy and may well struggle to apply. The paperwork was bad enough, but this may be beyond many people.
I'm not sure that level of thought has gone into it tbh. Mostly seems to be thoughtlessness combined with poor systems and disconnected staff, resulting in callousness/lack of care.
Another example of understaffing, perhaps. And definitely moving Whaikaha into DSW and disconnecting from people that actually understand disability would contribute to this.
Oh wow - surely this level of marginalisation is by design.
🤬
🥺 You are entitled to rant... Obviously it's not about YOU but all the people for whom this causes difficulty & stress that could have easily been avoided. I tend to think it wasn't malicious but rather a result of a lack of understanding eg assuming EVERYONE can access & is proficient in Internet based systems.🤷🏻♀️
I am the contact point for an elderly relative whose service providers stopped using posted statements & advisories & email everything 😵💫 Admirable on one level to cut down on waste, but when you neither have an Internet connection, nor could use a public one if your life depended on it, it is not equitable - what happens to those who have no one to help? 🥺😡
We've only just been granted carer support and the only way I knew about the change was because Facebook's creepy algorithm presented me a post from Carers NZ. I then sent the information on to a whānau member who normally sends the form in via the post. Thanks for your mahi on this, they must do better
Think you are right Bex have to be loud at the moment to try to get through. So unbelievably thoughtless and heartless to just change something so important to carers with no notice.