Productivity Commission
Disability Care and Support Inquiry. 

Eligibility:
All people with a disability, whatever their disability, or what level they are at, should be eligible to be part of any new scheme that is created.
Whether the disability is permanent or temporary they should receive all the care and support, for however long it is needed.
Most people with a disability would possibly be on Government Data Base as they would probably be receiving some sort of pension payment.
Many people would be patients of some Health Professionals. 
Accessing information would pose a problem because of the Privacy Act.

Reducing Unfairness:
Real assessment of people’s needs and making sure that they are always given the necessary support and care to meet those needs.

Most need of Additional Support:
Amputees- Funding for amputees has not increased in 15-20 years. It has not kept pace with modern technology. Every Amputee is entitled to have the benefit of any modern technology that will improve their quality of life. More funding needs to be put into this area to achieve  this for amputees.

Decisions:
People with disabilities be given the opportunity to liase with appointed person in charge of any new scheme.
Make sure that there are avenues for appeal readily available and that people and their concerns are treated with respect and concerns kept confidential.

Decisions of Financial Support and Services:
By whom ever has been appointed to manage any new scheme put in place.
Funding should be fairly distributed to meet the needs of people in their  area of disability.

Service needed:
Services currently provided should be continued until such times as there may be a new scheme in place.
Aids are expensive. Assistance with costs of these would help those who need them.
Transport: Country areas need more transport assistance e.g Cars and buses from these areas to cities for appointments need to be increased and on a regular basis as at present many people are disadvantaged. The transport does not run on a regular basis.
Accommodation:
Many young people with disabilities are being put in Aged Care Facilities. This needs to be addressed so that their accommodation is in a more appropriate place.

Early Intervention:
Depends on what information can be accessed on peoples needs.

Rural Areas.
A liaison person be allotted to all rural areas to see that people living in the rural areas receive the same level of services and support as people living in cities and towns.

Wasteful Papers:
A certain amount of paper would be required, by whom ever would manage the scheme make sure that only necessary papers be done. Most of information could be entered on to computers but hard copies need to be filed.

Funding:
Need to try and convince Governments that more funding is required as people with disabilities are entitled to have the best health care and support that is available.
Make sure that all funding allotted to each disability area is used for the area that it is meant for.
No doubt a new scheme would take some time to be put in place so the present services and support must be continued in the interim.
Inadequate as it may be it is better than nothing.

Margaret Davidson (President Tasmanian Amputee Society Inc.)