Hume council is urging the state and federal governments to investigate shortfalls in services for people who suffer a major disability through accident or stroke, amid reports people are waiting up to 18 months to be reimbursed for essential purchases or modifications.
Other people have been left out of pocket after going ahead with house upgrades and car modifications before receiving departmental approval.
A motion from Sunbury-based councillor Jack Medcraft was unanimously supported last week.
Speaking in the lead-up to Saturday night’s charity ball to raise funds for Cr Jack Ogilvie, who had a severe stroke earlier this year, Cr Medcraft said bureaucrats were ‘‘tying people’s hands behind their backs’’.
He said mountains of red tape around expenses, such as electric wheelchairs and house alterations, were forcing many people to stay in the hospital system.
‘‘These people need every bit of help they can get,’’ Cr Medcraft said.
‘‘Often, if you pay for it and get it done you lose the ability to have the government pay because they say you’ve already taken it on and haven’t got it approved. There shouldn’t be any sort of road blocks.
“We should be helping them move on in their rehabilitation,” Cr Medcraft said. ‘‘It takes too long for people to get help.’’
A federal Health Department spokesman said state government services and support would continue to be provided until the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in Hume from March 2018.
A spokeswoman for state Health Minister Jill Hennessy did not respond by Star Weekly’s deadline.
Therapists said many people don’t know where or how to get the support they need.
One disability advocate said many people in the sector likened the NDIS rollout to ‘‘building a plane while it’s in the air’’.
‘‘There’s just a lot of unknowns. Hopefully, the full rollout will allow people to buy what they need rather than making them fit a particular program.’’
