[Greens-Media] NSW Lib’s policy insults injury

[Nic Clyde]

Media Release                                                          
                   Monday 7th April, 2008
 
NSW Lib’s policy insults injury
 
Unfortunately the Liberal Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner,
today missed an opportunity to pressure the NSW Government to adequately
fund a program designed to provide specialised equipment to people with
a debilitating illness or catastrophic injury.
 
“I welcome the focus on this issue”, said Upper House Greens MP Ian
Cohen, “but why is it that Jillian Skinner has failed to call on the
Government to fund the Program of Appliances for Disabled People (PADP)
so that these problems can be fixed? 
 
The Shadow Minister was today visiting Emma Chapman who was told that
she would have to wait more than a year for the PADP bureaucrats to
consider an application for a manual wheelchair. Ms Chapman is suffering
from spina bifida and an acquired brain injury.
“Inadequate funding of the PADP scheme has wider implications for the
broader administration and delivery of health services in NSW. 
 
“Anecdotal reports from the disabled community are suggesting that
disabled persons are languishing in hospital beds awaiting appliances
such as properly fitted wheelchairs. Evidence indicates that some
patients are remaining in hospital beds, for the sole purpose of
awaiting a relevant appliance, for up to six months.
 
“The Shadow Minister makes no mention of the Pricewaterhouse Coopers
report into the PADP program. The PwC report calls for a dramatic
increase in funding of the PADP program from the current 2007/08 budget
of $24.2M to around $50M in order to ensure that those most in need have
access to equipment.
 
“The Government has thrown good money after bad at the failed TCard
transport scheme to enable people to move faster. The PADP program
desperately needs funds in order that people move at all.
 
“Of course we also need to ask the Government why they are moving so
slowly on this issue. Is the problem that Reba Meagher’s department
have failed to budget properly for PADP, or does the real problem lie
with Michael Costa’s cold hearted allocations to public health?”
said Mr Cohen.
 
Further Information: Ian Cohen: 0409 989 466 or Nic Clyde: 0417 742
754

Nic Clyde
Adviser, Greens MLC Ian Cohen
Macquarie Street, Sydney, 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3305, Fax: +61-2-9230 2267
Mobile: 0417 742 754
Web: www.iancohen.org.au