The
Daily Examiner,
8 June 2019, p.3:
Some local residents
with NDIS packages will be forced to find new assistance as service providers
downsize in regional Australia.
In the past month two
major disability service providers have announced changes in the Clarence
Valley, with the Benevolent Society closing its Grafton office and Australian
Unity leaving regional NSW altogether.
The move by Australian
Unity comes just three years after the company took on more than 4000 staff and
50,000 aged and disability clients from the NSW Government’s Home Care Service
of NSW, after winning a tender in 2015.
The organisation would
not confirm how many clients it had in the Clarence Valley region.
However Community and
Public Sector Union Regional Organiser Asren Pugh said the move by providers
was concerning and a direct result of the State Government’s decision to
privatise all disability services in 2016.
Mr Pugh said members had
approached him with concerns that some NDIS clients would lose workers with
whom they had formed strong relationships.
“Some of our members
have said they have had the same client for 15 years,” he said.
“Some clients have said
they are really distressed about that because they are afraid they will lose
the worker who has been looking after them for 15 years.”
In a statement on its
website Australian Unity said it would be focusing on provision of aged care
services and did “not anticipate the decision to scale down its NDIS business
will result in any job losses”.
Meanwhile the Benevolent
Society has confirmed it will be closing its Grafton office with Coffs Harbour
becoming the “primary hub” for the region…..
Further reading
North Coast Voices, 4 June 2019, The National Disability Insurance Scheme continues a bumbling problem-filled roll out during which its clients suffer
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