Auckland Disability Providers Network Inc.

After a number of years at the helm of the ADPN, Colin Reive of Epilepsy New Zealand, Auckland, has stepped down from the Chair. His place has been taken by Chris Ross from Relionus Transport.

Our thanks go to Colin who has led the ADPN with energy, strength and vision. We are fortunate that he is to remain on the Executive so that his skills and knowledge of the sector and the context in which we operate, will not be lost.

Chris brings to the ADPN wide experience in business, social, sporting and community activities as well as a passion for working in the disability sector.

We are grateful to Chris for taking on this role. He is very keen to hear from members and may be contacted: phone: 09 268 9612 or chris@creativeconcepts.co.nz

Legal Forum
27th November 2008

“Just a note to say thank you for the forum today. I think it was one of the best ADPN forums I have ever been to and the speakers were outstanding.”

Positive feedback following the Legal Forum!

Both speakers held the attention of the 50+ audience, delivering valuable information on legal issues. What could have been very dry topics were made interesting and relevant.

Dr. Huhana Hickey from the Disability Law Office opened the morning. Her topic was Disability Law with particular reference to the Personal Property & Rights Act. The notes from her power point presentation are available on request: huhana.hickey@adl.org.nz

Parvez Akbar, Senior Solicitor from the EMA then spoke on Employment Law. He discussed employment agreements and emphasised the need to establish everything in writing before a new employee commences work. He also covered Restructuring and Redundancies.

Huhana and Parvez answered questions from the floor and the variety of queries demonstrated the breadth of interest in the topics and complexities of the problems faced by providers.

27th November 2008
Providers have a responsibility to ensure that both clients and staff are treated fairly and
according to the law. With up to date information, you can manage with confidence

Disability Law

Dr. Huhana Hickey Solicitor, Auckland Disability Law

Who has the legal right to make decisions on behalf of people who use your service?
This session will help you to-
• understand how to protect the rights of your service users
• make sure your staff stay within the law,
• advise families on how to plan for the future.
• It might even make you think about planning for your own future.

Employment Law

Parvez Akbar Senior Solicitor, EMA

• The ‘R’ word – requirements of restructures and redundancies
• Knowing the difference between employees, contractors, casuals
and fixed terms
• Process, process and more process
• Holidays, employment agreements ………………… and much more!

Both Huhana and Parvez will be happy to answer questions
.

Barrycourt Hotel and Conference Centre

10-20 Gladstone Road
Parnell

Registrations: 9.00

Forum: 9.30 – 12.30

Costs:

ADPN member organisations* $25 per person
Non members $40 per person
Morning tea included

Payment required with booking

(Please include organisation name and number attending)

Cheques to: Auckland Disability Providers Network. Postal address below.

Electronic payment may be made to: 010178 0039199 00 Please email notification

*Membership form available – contact: info@adpn.org.nz

Media release

22 October 2008

Standards New Zealand has published the revised NZS 8134:2008 Health and disability services Standards, with approval from the Minister of Health.

‘The revised Standards will be mandatory from 1 June 2009, for those health and disability services, residential services, mental health services, rest homes, and hospitals required to comply with the Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001, ’ says Gillian Grew, Chief Advisor (Services), at the Ministry of Health.

The Standards establish safe levels of care for consumers, set out the rights of consumers, and ensure service providers are clear about their responsibilities for good outcomes.

‘Health providers can use the Standards to streamline the auditing process used to comply with the Act, and to remain up to date with best practice. Other health and disability services should also consider adopting the Standards, ’ says Gillian.

The Ministry of Health sponsored and managed a review of the 2001 Standards, following feedback from stakeholders. An expert Standards New Zealand development committee, which included representatives from the health, disability, mental health, aged care, and other sectors, conducted the review. The review also included public consultation.

The revised Standards reduce duplicated content between four health Standards published in 2001, are simpler to use, and reflect current best practice. The Ministry of Health published a regulatory notice in the New Zealand Gazette on 2 October 2008, with the effect of bringing NZS 8134:2008 into force on 1 June 2009.

The Standards are available from Standards New Zealand or call the customer services team on 0800 782 632.

Inquiry into the quality of care and service provision for people with disabilities
Report of the Social Services Committee Forty-eighth Parliament
(Russell Fairbrother, Chairperson)
September 2008
Presented to the House of Representatives

Key recommendations
The Social Services Committee recommends to the Government that it
• appoint an appropriately funded lead agency with responsibility for disability issues,
accountability for the disability sector, and a role monitoring the sector (page 15)

• make the new lead agency responsible for ensuring that the New Zealand Disability
Strategy is put into action effectively, and establish a national plan of action to ensure
that the strategy is implemented without delay by the appropriate agencies (page 17)

• establish an independent disability commission if this arrangement has not achieved
significant change within six years (page 15)

• investigate the appointment of an independent disability commissioner, possibly
within the office of the Health and Disability Commissioner. Any required legislation
should also expand the areas the commissioner may examine to include, for example,
access to services and individual funding issues. The commissioner should be
responsible for considering disability issues in relation to health, education, social
development, and housing, and promote the recognition that disability is a fact of life
and not primarily a health matter (page 36)

• establish a new entry point in the community for people seeking disability
information, in the form of an agency with the additional role of building community
capacity and support, along the lines of the local area coordination system established
in Western Australia. We also ask that progress reports on this matter be provided to
the Social Services Committee every 12 months (page 24)

• change the role of existing Needs Assessment and Service Coordination agencies to
ensure there is no duplication with local area coordination, and that they focus on
meeting the needs of individuals, rather than those of service providers. All Needs
Assessment and Service Coordination agencies should have a clear separation from
service providers. We also ask that progress reports on this matter be provided to the
Social Services Committee every 12 months (page 23)

• direct the relevant ministries to ensure that funding is provided in a way that allows
people with disabilities more choice about their day-to-day living arrangements. They
should have better access to supported independent living and individualised
funding. We also ask that progress reports on this matter be provided to the Social
Services Committee every 12 months (page 26)

• ensure that evaluations and audits of disability services focus on the quality of life
and the opportunities for people with disabilities. Evaluations and audits should be
focused on development and satisfactory outcomes for people with disabilities rather
than on compliance with minimum standards for audit purposes. Teams must have
the freedom and the responsibility to talk with all stakeholders involved in services.
We consider this should be in place within 12 months (page 34)

• introduce legislative change to strengthen and expand the scope of Government funded
advocacy and complaints services for people with disabilities. This should
enable the independent disability commissioner to oversee access to disability
services (page 36)

• establish a strategy for improving training, pay rates, and working conditions for the
caring and support workforce in the disability sector, including those funded through
Vote Health. Such a strategy should include a structured career path, a skills-based
pay system, values-based training for all staff, and consistent and appropriate
conditions of work, including health and safety, safeguards, and paid training. The
funding should take into account the requirements and costs of training. The
relevance and appropriateness of all current training programmes should be reviewed
immediately in the light of our recommendations. We also ask that progress reports
on this matter be provided to the Social Services Committee every 12 months
(page 40)

See the full report