Too little too late: Wait times and cost burden for people with a disability in seeking equipment funding in Victoria.

People with a disability in Australia experience significant financial hardship. This greatly affects their ability to afford necessary aids and equipment. Australia is listed as having the lowest personal income for people with disabilities in the OECD, with people with disabilities receiving forty-four percent (44%) of the income of those without a disability (HREOC 2005).

For many years, Scope has identified concerns regarding problems with access to and cost of aids and equipment for people with a disability.

Assessment of the extent of the problems was hampered by inadequate or inaccessible data. In turn, this hindered the development of an appropriate strategy to address the needs reported by therapists and clients.

This study was aimed at addressing these issues and was conducted between May and October 2006. The study collected data by reviewing a sample of fifty seven (57) Scope client files across all client groups in seven regions.

The purpose of the study was to:

Commence the establishment of a public evidence base to document the barriers to meeting the equipment needs of people with a disability in Victoria; and

Ascertain the costs and waiting times experienced by Scope clients, as they relate to the process of application, approval, through to delivery and use of equipment.