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National Disability conference 2010 Making Advocacy easy to access Judi strid Director of Advocacy Slide 2 Community-based service 48 advocates in 25 community-based offices Over half are Maori 6 specialist advocates for Deaf + refugee/migrant communities Proactive visiting of vulnerable + remote consumers Slide 3 Slide 4 Jewel in the Commisioners Crown HDC divisions = strong crown Nationwide advocacy community outreach = jewel in the crown Slide 5 Slide 6 Advocacy Success 09/10 year 88% resolution rate so consumers with complaints can move on 5,606 total complaints 10,440 enquiries 29,887 calls to 0800 # 2,051 education sessions 4,363 networking sessions Slide 7 The role of an advocate Advocates work alongside consumers as agents for social change to strengthen consumer voice focus services on putting consumers first Slide 8 Strengthening consumer voice Speaking up programmes Information + educate on rights Every complaint is an opportunity for learning + quality improvement Consumers to be central to service provision Slide 9 Great Care Stories Give power to consumer experiences of what services + care looks like when it is working well Helps to focus services on putting consumers first Slide 10 Great Care Stories The Art of Great Care was officially launched by the former Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson in March 2010. The book is available online from the HDC web site www.hdc.org.nz and in hard copy from HDC. www.hdc.org.nz Slide 11 Advocates: on the side of consumers Being Proactive by going to consumers who are unable to contact an advocate themselves Being Responsive to consumers who seek the assistance of an advocate Slide 12 focus on vulnerable people This systematic approach to visiting residential homes has helped us have a greater focus on vulnerable people who dont find it easy to access an independent advocate. Slide 13 Residential Visits Advocates have now been visiting rest homes for four years disability homes for three years. Slide 14 Rest Home Visits In the most recent reporting year (1 July 09- 30 June 2010), advocates made 2,943 visits to all of the 697 rest homes across the country. Slide 15 Disability homes A total of 2,807 advocacy contacts were made with all 884 of the individual disability homes/residential facilities. Slide 16 Advocates as a resource The visits have provided: opportunities for staff + residents to meet their local advocate improve understanding of the advocates role + how an advocate can assist how to contact the advocate Slide 17 Advocates as a resource Residential staff now view the advocates as a resource to guide them in providing a quality service to residents in sometimes challenging circumstances. Slide 18 Increasing visits advocates will now be required to make two visits to 50% of residential facilities. They will still need to visit each home once and half of the homes a second time. Slide 19 Speaking Up sessions Free Speaking Up sessions have been very popular Most successful approach is a speaking up session for residents as well as one for the staff to focus on a safe environment for the residents to speak up in. Slide 20 Tell Someone DVD For people with a learning or intellectual disability in residential homes to learn more about their rights and how to get help when things go wrong Slide 21 Tell someone DVD Stories that show residents when their rights are not respected and what they can do about it A focus on speaking up and telling someone The different types of abuse Best practice examples of rights being respected Actors from actual residential homes Slide 22 Getting it right for consumers Providers are generally well intentioned and just get it wrong sometimes Important to tell how it feels to not be listened to or treated with dignity. Advocates can help consumers to speak up + have their say Slide 23 Open Disclosure New requirement of the revised sector standards that need to be met for certification + audited on. Free open disclosure training for staff by advocates. 324 open disclosure sessions in 2009/2010 reporting year. Most requests from the residential sector. Slide 24 Being Responsive Enquiries Answering questions about rights, linking consumers to local support groups + services Assisting consumers to find their way through confusing health and disability systems Providing help to consumers unsure of who to contact Slide 25 Being Proactive Being accessible to vulnerable and isolated consumers Visiting rest homes and disability homes Travelling to rural and remote towns to meet with local people. Providing specialist advocacy programmes for Maori (marae- based), the Deaf community, refugee + migrant communities + people with learning + intellectual disabilities Slide 26 Being Responsive Networking Meeting local people + groups to hear their issues and what they do Increasing knowledge about the advocacy service + the advocate Increasing knowledge about the rights Slide 27 Being Proactive Assertive Networking setting up new networks for the benefit of local consumers Bringing together key people and groups with a shared interest in quality initiatives at a grass roots level. Slide 28 Being Responsive Education providing sessions for consumers + providers on the Code of Rights, HDC + advocacy providing tailored sessions on particular aspects of the Code eg informed consent, advanced directives to different grps Slide 29 Being Proactive Education self advocacy training programmes to increase consumer confidence in advocating for oneself promoting safe quality services to providers using the Code of Rights as a quality framework promoting a consumer-centred approach by using great care examples as told by consumers Slide 30 Being responsive Complaint resolution Providing a simple speedy way to resolve complaints + conflicts between consumers + providers at an early stage Rebuilding positive relationships that need to continue between consumers, family members and providers (eg rest homes, specialists) Slide 31 Being Proactive Promoting quality improvement and consumer centred-care promoting complaints as opportunities for learning and quality improvement Using consumer stories and key messages to promote positive changes to services Slide 32 Rights on Magnets Campaign Making it easy to find the contact details for an advocate as well as a quick reference to the 10 consumer rights Every fridge Every filing cabinet Slide 33 Contact an advocate on: Freephone 0800 555 050 advocacy@hdc.org.nz