Groundhog Day for Nardy House

Nardy House is again experiencing difficulties accessing actual money from the Department of Ageing, Disability and Homecare.

The ADHC Minister, John Ajaka, approved recurrent funding for the organisation’s Lowndes House fully -supported accommodation facility however ADHC hasn’t provided a contract that Nardy House is able to sign.We have been in this situation before – the Nardy House completed respite building sat empty for two years before  a contract was finally provided that took account of the Nardy House Trust Deed.

The irony then and now is that ADHC took part in the Trust Deed process and the Department was  able to change the NHI Trust Deed prior to its implementation. NHI must abide by the Trust Deed and we cannot sign documents that do not adhere to it. The Department knows this and so do we. This is pure bungling.

The situation for us is urgent. We have two people reliant on our support who are living in the Lowndes building. They were accommodated in the Nardy House Respite facility for a very long period of time ( over twelve months) because their carers were unable to do the caring any more. When the new facility was opened they were accommodated where they should be accommodated- in permanent housing. This did two things- it freed up respite beds and it provided safe housing that had been chosen by carers.NHI has funded their accommodation since early October. Our funding ,from ADHC ,was due to start on October 1st. We hired staff, set up the building and supplied a high- level specialised service. We have used up our reserves of cash and we need a contract otherwise there are two homeless people. They are not ordinary people. They are people with profound physical disabilities who have high medical support needs and Lowndes House is home.

Nardy House is again experiencing difficulties accessing actual money from the Department of Ageing, Disability and Homecare.

The ADHC Minister, John Ajaka, approved recurrent funding for the organisation’s Lowndes House fully -supported accommodation facility however ADHC hasn’t provided a contract that Nardy House is able to sign.