This submission was made by Women with Disabilities ACT for the Inquiry into endometriosis and other pelvic pain conditions, held by the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory. You can read it in full below.
Tag: Health
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Submission to the Inquiry into ACT Health system data, demand and processes
WWDACT made a submission to the independent Inquiry into ACT Health system data, demand and processes.
As part of preparation for this submission, WWDACT surveyed our members.
We received 22 survey responses from women and non-binary people with disabilities. They talked about their experiences in the public healthcare system.
WWDACT also consulted with our Policy Advisory Committee, consisting of 6 women and non-binary people with lived experience of disabilities.
You can read our submission below.
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MEDIA RELEASE: Disability groups flag health priorities ahead of ACT election forum
A united front of ACT disability groups is flagging access to health care as a key priority for the 1 in 5 Canberra voters with a disability a day out from an ACT Disability Town Hall event kicking off tomorrow from 12 noon.
ACT Down Syndrome and Intellectual Disability, Women with Disabilities ACT, Mental Health Community Coalition ACT and Advocacy for Inclusion have come together to say access to critical acute,primary and preventative health care is a key priority as we approach the October voting period.
They point to data which reveals 1 in 4 people with disability find it difficult to access a GP while 1 in 3 find it challenging to access specialist health services. In addition, Bulk-billing rates in the ACT have long been declining but there have is further deteriorations with only 3.8 per cent of clinics bulk-billing all patients at the end of 2023.
With the ACT taking on new responsibilities for Foundational Supports following the NDIS review the groups call for prompt implementation of the ACT Disability Health Strategy and a focus on other services, programs and upgrades to improve access.
You can read the media release below.
Election comment authorised by Kat Reed for Women with Disabilities ACT
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Submission to the ACT Disability Health Strategy
WWDACT has made a submission to the ACT Disability Health Strategy draft consultation. You can read this submission below.
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Submission to the ACT Preventative Health Plan 2020-2025
WWDACT has made a submission to provide feedback on the ACT Preventative Health Plan 2020-2025. You can read our letter below.
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Submission to the ACT Women’s Plan (Third Action Plan)
Women With Disabilities ACT (WWDACT) is grateful for the opportunity to make a submission to the Third Action Plan consultation, and for the support of the Office for Women in facilitating consultations with our membership.
This submission is informed by in-depth guided conversations with our Policy Advisory Committee (PAC), and by a conversation facilitated by the Office for Women with our broader membership. WWDACT also hosted a survey for members who preferred to contribute written suggestions – we received three responses through this platform. This qualitative evidence base is complemented by a literature review, confirming that the issues raised in our consultations are felt by a significant population of people across the ACT.You can read the submission below.
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“Involved from the Beginning” COVID-19 Outreach Project Final Report
A new report released today by Women with Disabilities ACT (WWDACT) analyses the
experiences of women, girls, feminine identifying, and non-binary people with disabilities during
COVID-19. It illustrates an urgent need to address pre-existing disadvantage, and to involve
women* with disabilities in all emergency planning.
Report author Megan Hagan says ‘Findings were disheartening in that nothing was really new,
or really COVID-19 specific. Instead, there was a predictable worsening of pre-existing
disadvantage.’
78% of women* with disabilities reported experiencing new or increased mental health issues
during COVID-19. Of particular concern, 87% of LGBTIQA+ people with disabilities
experienced increased mental health concerns. These figures reflect the already high levels of
mental health concerns among women* with disability being exacerbated.
28% of women with disability were impacted negatively by increased physical labour. Ms
Hagan notes ‘gender inequalities around the mental load, home schooling, and increased
domestic work increased barriers for many women* with disabilities.’
The report also acknowledges positive changes brough about by COVID-19. Of note, there
were increased social security payments; increased availability of Telehealth appointments; the
normalisation of video calls; the ability to work from home; and a greater community
awareness of infection control, isolation, and loneliness.
These positive aspects are important to bring forward as we strive for an equitable society, but
they in no way balance out the negative impacts.
COVID-19 has resulted in increased domestic violence cases across Australia. Despite the
federal government committing additional domestic violence funding, there have not been the
resources to meet demand for support services. 12% of women* with disability experienced
new or increased domestic violence due to COVID-19.
22.73% of LGBTQI+ people with disability experienced new or increased family or domestic
violence during COVID-19 in contrast to 7.25% of cisgender women.
40% of women* with disabilities experiencing family or domestic violence did not have access
to appropriate services.
In Australia, compared to their peers, women, girls, feminine identifying, and non-binary people
with disabilities experience higher levels of all forms of violence more intensely and frequently
and are subjected to such violence by a greater number of perpetrators. COVID-19
exacerbated the situation.
When speaking on the prevention of violence against women* with disabilities in the ACT,
WWDACT CEO explains that ‘Women* with disabilities experience the same forms of violence
that all women* experience, but they also experience forms of violence unique to the
intersection of gender and disability.’ The prevalence of this violence is testimony to the lack of
prevention strategies and pathways safety afforded to women* with disabilities by current
policy, services, and systems. On this, Mx Reed notes ‘worryingly, our stats do not represent
the true extent of this problem’.
You can read our full report, summary brief and media release below. -
Submission to the Disability Royal Commission: Issues paper on emergency planning and response
Under Article 11 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Australia is
obligated to “take, in accordance with their obligations under international law […] all
necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in
situations of risk, including […] the occurrence of natural disasters.” During the Black
Summer bushfires and COVID-19 crisis, women with disabilities in the ACT have felt
neglected, unsafe and ill-informed. Improvements must be made to both protect people with disabilities from disasters themselves through evacuation protocols, personal protective equipment and other disaster mitigation activities; and also to protect people with disabilities from the increased incidence of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation that occurs due to isolation and loss of oversight during disasters.As stated on the Disability Royal Commission website, “Neglect can be […] a systemic issue that involves depriving a person with disability of the basic necessities of life such as food, drink, shelter, access, mobility, clothing, education, medical care and treatment.” Based on this definition, it is possible to consider the systemic failings of government to support people with disabilities to maintain access to basic essential services during disasters has been neglectful. As the COVID-19 crisis has gone on, improvements have been made, however the timeliness and appropriateness of these responses has still left women with disabilities feeling that the “responsibility has fallen on us”. In order to fully understand the scope of the impact of COVID-19 on women with disabilities in the ACT, WWDACT brought on a project officer to carry out a survey and interviews of women and non-binary people with disabilities in order to understand their experience of the crisis.
You can read our full submission below.
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“The Responsibility has Fallen on Us”: Perspectives on the impact of COVID-19 on Women* and Girls with Disabilities in the ACT and Region
This has been a difficult year for the Canberra community, which is dealing with the
impact of smoke, bushfires, hail and now COVID-19 (‘COVID’). Early in the crisis
WWDACT identified COVID-19 was affecting women* with disabilities
disproportionately, given that this was the second major disaster the ACT was
facing. The impact of gendered issues in emergency situations have been well
proven and researched by bodies like the National Women’s Alliance,1 who have
highlighted that women* are disproportionally impacted by disasters. The inequalities
caused by disproportionate impacts increase within ‘vulnerable cohorts,’ such as
disability.
WWDACT sought to analyse this issue through a feminist lens that is inclusive of the
experiences of women* living with a disability in the ACT through this survey and
interviews, the results of which are summarised in this report.
Ultimately, these findings should inform WWDACT’s strategy in responding to the
Royal Commission into Disability and help inform recommendations into how the risk
of women* with disabilities experiencing violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation at
these times can be prevented.You can read the full report below.
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Submission to the Inquiry into Planning for the Surgical Procedures, Interventional Radiology and Emergency Centre (SPIRE) and the Canberra Hospital campus and immediate surrounds
Health and the design of health systems is a major policy concern for Women with Disabilities ACT. Women* with disabilities often experience increased marginalisation in healthcare settings due to the multiplicative effects of institutional sexism and disability discrimination. Facility design, infrastructure planning and the associated models of care can be improved to promote better outcomes for our community.
In the 2015 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, 26% of people with disabilities aged under 65 said they had visited the Emergency Department (ED) during the last year, compared with 10% of the general population. The survey also found that 38% of people with disabilities found it difficult to access the buildings of health services, including hospitals. Women* with disabilities may be more likely to visit the ED for care for a range of reasons, such as poor management of conditions due to costs, increased risk of violence, lack of access and support leading to accidents as well as their underlying health issues. The hospital environment needs to be safe, comfortable and accessible to promote better health outcomes, with consideration for the most marginalised in the community.
The Surgical Procedures, Interventional Radiology and Emergency Centre (SPIRE) is a project that will affect the way health services are delivered for all of Canberra over the next few decades. There is a time-limited opportunity to address the existing accessibility issues and consumer concerns in this project and the subsequent Canberra Hospital Precinct Master Plan. It is crucial that the facilities and services delivered are inclusive, person-centred, accessible and use the principles of universal
design.You can read our full submission below.