Geraldine Woods confirmed as DDG - Health & Disability Services

The Director-General of Health Stephen McKernan is pleased to confirm Geraldine Woods as the Deputy Director-General Health and Disability National Services. There was significant interest in the position, both from within the Ministry and from the sector reflecting the general support for our renewed focus on sector success. Geraldine was the stand-out candidate and her appointment reinforces the strong performance and leadership she has shown in both the interim role and her previous roles. Geraldine has held a number of senior Government roles at Health, the NZ Employment Service, Work and Income and the Ministry of Social Development. Geraldine will be responsible for leading the Directorate and assuming responsibility for planning, funding and providing services not currently funded by District Health Boards. A significant part of the Directorate's work will be planning as well as funding and contracting. The directorate will be working with DHBs and other sector agencies to align the provision of those services with local planning and delivery.

2nd National Consumers' Summit

The 2nd National Consumers' Summit is to be held in Auckland on November 26th. NZ Guidelines Group, the Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner and other collaborating partners of the initiative to strengthen consumer voice in New Zealand, invite health and disability consumer group representatives to attend the Summit.

Partners of the initiative recognise that consumers, in New Zealand and around the world, need to have a greater voice and involvement in decision-making, policy development and monitoring of health and disability services.

Information for consumer groups is available here: http://www.nzgg.org.nz/download/files/070626_Update_for_Consumer_Organisations.pdf

Assistance with funding for consumers wishing to attend is available here:
http://www.nzgg.org.nz/index.cfm?fuseaction=specialfocus&fusesubaction=article&documentid=336&articleID=406

Please spread the word so that as many consumers as possible will be able to attend.

Meetings - Ministry of Health

The Executive Committee had the pleasure of meeting with Brian Agnew who is the Ministry of Health Contract Relationship Manager. Brian has responsibility for National DIAS Contracts. He is principally based in Northland. Brian is our Ministry of Health contact for the Federation National Contract and the WEKA Contract. Brian briefed the Executive on the restructuring process that has happened in the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health organisational chart is on the MoH website which gives you further detail on the new roles within the Ministry.

Funding Strategy

Like all of our Centres, the New Zealand Federation of Disability Information Centres is constantly seeking Funding/Sponsorship. If member centres have great ideas to share on getting funding/sponsorship for the national body, please share it with your Executive Committee member.

Carer Strategy

The President of the Federation attended the Launch of the Carer Strategy in Wellington. Copies of the Strategy are available on the website www.msd.govt.nz. Submissions for this strategy are due on the 14th September.

The Federation would like to encourage all Member Centres to circulate this information to your networks and get submissions in on this very important issue. You can get more information from the Family Care Magazine.

Barrier Free Training

Barrier Free Trust facilitates and encourages solutions for the provision of an accessible journey for all people, to ensure that New Zealand is recognized both nationally and internationally as being the forefront of the Accessible Journey through training and education, provision of technical advice, and overseeing the display of the International Symbol of Success.

Barrier Free Trust NZ is currently reviewing its training programme. Watch this space for more information of the revised modules and upcoming training dates.

Executive Committee Update

The Executive welcomes Noel Matthews as the Acting President for the Federation. Noel took over this position as Sarah has left us to go on maternity leave. Noel is the General Manager of North Able.

The Executive Committee has been working on a number of projects, these include:

● 2007/2008 Strategic Plan
● NZFDIC Website
● NZFDIC Blog
● Training Conference 2008
● Funding/Sponsorship

Updates on these areas will be provided at the Annual General Meeting in Christchurch.