Systems integrator Datacom has appointed Pauline Soo to a newly created, Melbourne-based health director role following an expansion of its medical orga.
If controversial changes to the legislation underpinning the NDIS pass the Federal Parliament this week, we are likely to see more cuts to NDIS services.
Federal, state and territory disability ministers met on Friday to debate a proposal to introduce independent assessments into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
In the face of sustained opposition, the federal government agreed not to make any legislative changes to the scheme and committed to consult on any future amendments.
Remind me, what are independent assessments?
Independent assessments were proposed as a new way of determining the functional level of an individual with disability, which would then be then used to inform what level of funding that person would receive.
Under the current system, people demonstrate this by gathering evidence from their own specialists.
Anne Kavanagh Professor of Disability and Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne
In the face of sustained opposition, the federal government agreed not to make any legislative changes to the scheme and committed to consult on any future amendments.
Remind me, what are independent assessments?
Independent assessments were proposed as a new way of determining the functional level of an individual with disability, which would then be then used to inform what level of funding that person would receive.
Under the current system, people demonstrate this by gathering evidence from their own specialists.
The government has argued this is not fair, because those with greater means can bypass waiting lists in the public system and see private specialists. They also believe professionals known to an individual may be affected by “empathy bias“, resulting in their clients ultimately being awarded larger funding packages.