29 May 2020 - special meeting Coronavirus (COVID-19) - communique

The special meeting of 29 May 2020 was held to discuss the COVID-19 public emergency. Due to COVID-19, the meeting was held online. To ensure accessibility for all members, live captioning was used.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide information to the NT Disability Advisory Committee (DAC) members on the work of the NT Government Health Services to manage the COVID-19 emergency and the work of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to support National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants during the emergency. Members had the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback to the Health Services and the NDIA. Members also talked about their own experience during COVID-19 pandemic, including those things that worked well and the challenges they had faced.

Ms Kim Clayworth, from the NT Government, Top End Health Services talked to the committee about measures undertaken by Top End Health Services to continue to provide services and keep communities safe in Darwin region and Top End remote during COVID-19. Ms Clayworth talked about Top End Health Services hospitals, community clinics and visiting allied health services and discussed the first COVID-19 response, how that changed over time and what Top End Health Services are doing now. Key matters discussed included:

• changes to service provision in the hospitals and in remote areas
• business continuity plans that are in place in the case of emergencies
• the use of Telehealth, particularly to continue to provide community allied health services
• communication within the Health Services and from the Health Services to remote health services, including Aboriginal Health Services and Remote Health Clinics and how this was done.

More information about the NT Government’s response to COVID-19 can be found on the Coronavirus website.

Mr Dan English, from the NDIA talked about the NDIA’s response to support NDIS participants during COVID-19, including:

• vulnerable participant calls - the NDIA has identified and contacted 652 of the 706 vulnerable people identified in the NT
• working with remote NDIS community connectors and other services in community to assist participants to contact the NDIA to receive help with their plans
• flexibility in the use of plan funds in a COVID-19 environment to support people to get equipment and access tele-health services
• work to support hospital discharge to assist vulnerable NDIS participants to come out of hospital.

More information about measures undertaken by the NDIS can be found on the NDIS website.

Ms Samantha Livesley, from the NT Department of Health, Office of Disability talked about the work of disability minister’s nationally through the Disability Reform Council; the Pandemic Plan for Disability Services in the NT; and the work of the Office of Disability Forensic Disability Unit to support clients to continue to have connections with their community during the pandemic.

Members shared their experiences during COVID-19 and discussed the challenges they had faced and opportunities to improve the response for people with disability.

Key topics discussed by members included

Communication

Members agreed further work is required by government and services to support communication to people with disability and service providers during a crisis event in the NT.

The transition to the use of web based technology for communication and access services and support

Members noted the benefits and challenges to the transition to web based technology. Noting that their ability to access and use technology was critical to them being able to access information; schooling; allied health and medical services and to be able to continue their work or other commitments. Members noted that the level of access was not the same for everyone and this could create real disadvantage. Members also noted that the ability of people to use web based technology should not be assumed and needs to be supported.

Community attitudes and the secondary effects of COVID-19

Members noted that the general community was not aware of the extent of the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of people with disability and their support people and that it is important to educate Territorians about the problems vulnerable people face. Members noted the extreme isolation experienced by people due to the closure of schools, supported community access activities and employment programs and the negative impacts on the mental health and wellbeing of people with disability and their support people. At a time of greater need people were unable to access their informal support networks and depended on media and government communication and more formal supports and services.

The Northern Territory Disability Advisory Committee will next meet on 7 July 2020.

Chris Blackham-Davison
Vice Chair, Northern Territory Disability Advisory Committee