Annual Report - 4.2 Commonwealth Disability Strategy

Table of contents

Part 3: Management Arrangements

Part 4: Accountability Reporting

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The Commonwealth Disability Strategy was introduced by the Australian Government in 1994 to help agencies to meet their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. Full details on the strategy can be found at www.fahcsia.gov.au. The following discussion addresses the Department’s performance in its Policy Adviser, Regulator, Purchaser, and Provider roles under the strategy.

Policy Adviser Role

New or revised program/policy proposals assess impact on the lives of people with disability prior to decision.

When developing new or revising program and policy proposals, the Department assesses their potential effect on people with disability. In 2008–09, this approach contributed to the revision of mental health policy proposals that took into account the needs of people with disability. It also saw the consideration of better access for people with disability to a range of health care services, in the draft National Primary Health Care Strategy (developed by an External Reference Group with the Department’s assistance).

People with disability are included in consultation about new or revised policy/program proposals.

The Department recognises that people with disability are among key stakeholders for many new or revised policy and program proposals. The Department uses advisory and consultative mechanisms, including representation by and on behalf of people with disability, to ensure that consumers of its programs are consulted on major policy and planning issues that affect them. For example, Aboriginal Medical Services funded by the Department consult with client groups, including people with disability, to establish service priorities at the local level.

In 2008–09, the Department invited people with disability to be part of the wide consultation process for the development of the draft National Primary Health Care Strategy. The Department also sought comments for the development of the National Men’s Health Policy, and the National Women’s Health Policy.

The Department undertook broad community consultations, which included people with mental illness and their carers; to help shape the revised National Mental Health Policy, the proposed Fourth National Mental Health Plan and the National Standards for Mental Health Services. The Department, through the Home and Community Care Program, also consulted with consumers, including people with disability, on policy and planning issues relevant to aged care.

Public announcements of new, revised or proposed policy/program initiatives are available in accessible formats for people with disability in a timely manner.

The Department recognises its obligation to provide information in formats accessible to all people. Content published on the Department’s websites is designed and constructed in accordance with guidelines based on the World Wide Web Consortiums’ Web Content Accessibility Guidelines which aim to make web content accessible to people with disability. As such, announcements of new, revised or proposed policy and program initiatives are published in hyper text mark-up language format, to enable the use of screen reader programs and to provide access to people with vision impairment. In addition, many documents are available in hard copy form upon request.

In 2008–09, the Private Patients’ Hospital Charter and the Australian Government Directory of Services for Older People were available in audio, braille, and large print formats. These alternative formats were available for distribution to people with disability through the Department’s webpage; and were promoted to organisations that assist people with vision impairment. In addition, information telephone lines managed by the Department accepted calls made via the National Relay Service to improve accessibility of information for people with speech and hearing impairment.
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Regulator Role

Publicly available information on regulations and quasi-regulations is available in accessible formats for people with disability.

The Department’s Therapeutic Goods Administration, National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme and Office of the Gene Technology Regulator provided information relating to regulations in formats accessible for people with disability via their respective websites. In addition, the three regulators maintained Freecall™ telephone numbers to respond to enquiries from callers wanting to obtain access to electronic or hard copies of all publicly available material. The Therapeutic Goods Administration also maintained teletype and speech to speech relay Freecall™ services for users with hearing or speech disability.

Publicly available regulatory compliance reporting is available in accessible formats for people with disability.

During 2008–09, the Department published compliance information relating to sanctions imposed on approved providers of Australian Government funded aged care services in accessible formats at www.health.gov.au. In addition, the Department made available information relating to aged care business opportunities, grant and funding invitations, the allocation of aged care places, and approvals under the annual Aged Care Approvals Round in accessible formats on its website, and in printed form on request.

Purchaser Role

Publicly available information on agreed purchasing specifications is available in accessible formats for people with disability.

In 2008–09, the Department provided publicly available purchasing specifications in accessible electronic formats through its website. All tender documents provided details of departmental contact officers who could issue information in other accessible formats upon request.

Processes for purchasing goods or services with a direct impact on the lives of people with disability are developed in consultation with people with disability.

The Department considered the concerns and interests of stakeholders, including people with disability, as an ongoing responsibility of its procurement planning. Where goods and services had a direct impact on the lives of people with disability, these requirements were specified in tender documentation.

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Purchasing specifications and contract requirements for the purchase of goods and services are consistent with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

The Department’s procedural rules require purchasing officials to adhere to relevant specific legislation in specifications and contract documents.

The Department’s standard contract for services, consultancy contract and Deed of Standing Offer contain provisions for the contractor to agree to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

Publicly available performance reporting against purchase contract specifications requested in accessible formats for people with disability is provided.

Performance reporting against purchase contract specifications is in-confidence and not publicly available. All open tenders and grant and funding invitations in 2008–09 were published on the Department’s website in formats accessible for people with disability. A range of accessible and printed formats was also available on request.

Complaints/grievance mechanisms, including access to external mechanisms, in place to address concerns raised about provider’s performance.

The Department provides a range of mechanisms to receive and address the concerns of stakeholders, clients and members of the public. During 2008–09, all service contracts entered into as part of the Home and Community Care Program were required to include the Home and Community Care National Service Standards to ensure that each consumer has access to fair and equitable procedures for dealing with complaints and disputes.

The Department also supervised the Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme to address concerns raised about Australian Government subsidised aged care services. The Department facilitated access for people with disability through a free and confidential advocacy service and a free call teletypewriter phone service. Decisions made through the scheme are able to be reviewed externally by the independent Aged Care Commissioner.

The Department also maintains customer service charters in areas that frequently deal with the public. For a discussion of the role of customer service charters, please see the ‘Provider Role’ section.
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Provider Role

Providers have an established service charter that specifies the roles of the provider and consumer and service standards, which address accessibility for people with disability.

During 2008–09, the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Office of Hearing Services had established service charters that specify their roles and functions, and values and service standards. The service charters also provided mechanisms to receive feedback and resolve complaints relating to these regulators’ performance and service delivery to stakeholders and the public, including people with disability.

Further information on these and other service charters can be found in Part 3.5 External Liaison Scrutiny.

In addition, the Home and Community Care National Service Standards require all service providers to demonstrate that access to services by special needs groups occurs on a non-discriminatory basis.

Key Fact for 2008–09: Supporting Staff with Disability

In addition to considering the needs of people in the public, the Department works to support its staff with disability, and to encourage people with disability to join its workforce. The Department’s efforts are underpinned by its Staff with Disability Workforce Action Plan 2008–10, which identifies the following objectives:

Provide a positive and supportive work environment for people with disability.
Provide ready access to internal and external sources of information and assistance for staff with disability, their managers and co-workers.
Enhance career prospects, learning and retention for staff with disability.
Recognition of achievements and contributions.
Attracting applicants with disability.

The Department has identified specific activities, stakeholders and performance targets in the plan to help achieve these objectives. One achievement is the production of a Disability Workforce page on the Department’s internal website. From this site, employees with disability, and managers who supervise or are interested in employing people with disability, can access departmental resources that cover topics such as flexible working arrangements, reasonable adjustment and employee assistance. They can also access external resources from the Australian Public Service Commission, the Australian Employers Network on Disability, and other national disability organisations.

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