Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2009 - Health and ...

EDUCATION and CORPORATE SERVICES
Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou katoa.
Warm greetings to you all.
In March 2009 I was re-appointed for a further term of five years in my
new role of Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner — Disability. This
changed role will enable me to take greater responsibility for disability
issues within the sector. It also means that I have delegations to manage
all disability-related investigations. I will also have greater input into the
resolution of complaints from the disability sector that do not meet the
threshold for an investigation. The new role gives greater emphasis to
education in the disability sector about complaints resolution.
Hemant Thakkar joined HDC as the Disability Initiatives Manager in
February 2009. Hemant’s key role is to identify and develop educational
resources and initiatives for consumers and providers in the disability
sector. Hemant will also be responsible for the implementation of the
New Zealand Disability Strategy, including improving accessibility of
HDC services for people with impairments.
Tania Thomas
Deputy Commissioner
— Disability
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What’s New?
HDC has been working on a new look website. It will have a number of additional features
making the website more accessible for people with different types of impairment. There will
also be a Disability section containing useful information for disabled consumers as well as
other interested stakeholders.
Educational Resources
An educational resource entitled “Are you Committed to the Code?” has been designed to
support caregivers in the disability sector and aged-care sector to implement the Code of
Rights in daily practice. Two other resources entitled “Are you Committed to the Convention?”
have also been designed to assist service providers in the disability sector and government
agencies in implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with
Disabilities at an organisational level.
DVD in New Zealand Sign Language
In association with Deaf Aotearoa, New Zealand, HDC had input into and jointly funded the
production of a DVD aimed at assisting health professionals to work with hearing impaired
and Deaf people.
Communication Strategy
HDC has developed and implemented an extensive strategy to communicate on an ongoing
basis with the disability sector. It includes sending regular updates from our office to
newsletters of various consumer organisations, regular community radio interviews, and
extensive advertising in the community via community notice boards.
We are also using “Kiwi Way” on the Planet FM website. It is designed to educate new migrants
and other people with English as a second language on key services that help them settle in
New Zealand. HDC and the Advocacy Service have published a message about our services in
24 different languages on Kiwi Way. If you want to know more about Kiwi Way, go to: http://
www.planetaudio.org.nz/kiwiway.php.
Student Placement
HDC now provides work experience placements for students with impairments. Our first
student placement was from Kelston Deaf Education Centre in June 2009.
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