Southern Squall

Elderly people who appeal controversial plans to stop their home help will keep getting assistance while their appeal is sorted out, official documents leaked to Southern Squall reveal.

Those same documents show southern health bosses have been warned to expect a slew of appeals as they try and pare back home assistance for the elderly.

They met with 15 aged care service providers last week, and were told to expect many elderly people to exercise their right to appeal plans to discontinue their home help.

They met as they prepared to send letters to elderly people telling them they soon won’t be eligible for the up-to 1.5 hours of home assistance they get each week.

The letters were to be sent out last week, but were delayed as DHB bosses considered the feedback they got from the meeting.

In an email obtained by Southern Squall, Otago-Southland DHBs chief executive Brian Rousseau acknowledges concerns passed on by service providers but says the boards must still live within their means. 

The letters will be sent from this week, and progressively over four weeks. Files will be reviewed to identify anyone in “exceptional circumstances” before the letters go out.

People at risk because of things like significantly impaired mobility, vision, and cognition; a history of falls, or other health needs, will still “receive the appropriate service”.

Some may even get more support, he says.

Mr Rousseau says about 15% to 20% of people on the list might have “exceptional circumstances”. They won’t get a letter saying they’ll lose their support: they’ll keep getting it at least until they get their scheduled formal reassessment.

People who do get a letter will have the right of appeal. Service providers last week indicated many would. Mr Rousseau says bosses expect “a high number” of appeals.

The boards will also conduct telephone or face to face reviews with people who receive higher levels of domestic assistance. The whole process should take five to six months to complete, he says.

The boards and providers must work together to ensure they can continue to provide the best services within their resources. Board managers were interested in seeing how contracting can help service providers retain and develop staff to ultimately benefit services. 

This was particularly important as the boards managed an increasing number of older people staying at home instead of going into rest homes, he says.

Board bosses and service providers will meet regularly over the next few months.

THE LETTER YOUR GRANDMOTHER MIGHTN’T WANT TO SEE:

According to the email supplied to Southern Squall, this is the template for the letter being sent to elderly people in Southland and Otago.

Re: Your Home Support Service

You currently receive 1.5 hours or less of funded support each week for mainly house cleaning.

I am writing to let you know of changes to this service.

You may have read or heard in the media that the Southland and Otago DHBs are reviewing home support services to make sure that we direct assistance to those who have been assessed as needing it the most, and to ensure so we can live within the amount of taxpayer money we receive to provide health services in the region.

We can’t continue to provide funded support for house cleaning to people unless it is absolutely necessary for them to remain safely in their own homes.

We have therefore decided that we can no longer provide domestic support to those receiving 1.5 hours or less per week, unless they are people with exceptional circumstances.

Exceptional circumstances apply to anyone who has a high risk of harm because of conditions such as significantly impaired mobility, vision, memory loss, a history of falls or other complex health needs. 

We have reviewed your case and our assessment is that you do not fall into the category of ‘exceptional circumstances’.  As such, unfortunately, starting from [date - 3 weeks time] we will no longer be able to continue to fund your [actual hours the client receives] hours of house cleaning each week.

If you or your family believe that our assessment of your situation is incorrect and you wish to appeal this decision, please contact us within the next two weeks between 9.00am and 4.00pm, Monday to Friday on 0800 627 236 so we can review your case.

A copy of this letter has also been sent to your GP.

We have also enclosed contact details for other social agencies and community support providers should you wish to access these services yourself.