Dear Ministry of Social Development,

Where in these clauses does it say that a beneficiary can only receive Emergency Medical Treatment assistance once every 52 weeks?

13.3 Emergency Medical Treatment

13.3.1

MSD may make a Grant of not more than $300 towards the costs of emergency medical treatment (including doctors' fees, prescription charges or hospital care).

13.3.2

MSD may make more than one Grant under clause 13.3.1 for a similar purpose in any 52 Week Period.

Your staff interpret the above clauses as $300 maximum every 52 weeks. 

It doesn't read that way to me.

And even if there is some hidden clause or set of related clauses then why aren't they made obvious on your website?

Furthermore there is the possibility of consideration of exceptional circumstances.

There are exceptional circumstances and yet there aren't according to your staff.

Who decides what an exceptional circumstance is?

The client or her advocate or Work and Income case managers?

If it is Work and Income - please provide me with a work and income list of exceptional circumstances.

Your staff can't tell me what an exceptional circumstance is. 

My client has multiple serious health needs (including a smashed pelvis and a broken hip and life threatening illnesses (emergency admissions for heart attacks in 2017, 2018).

And yet she has to wait on a list to see the public health system at Palmerston North (orthopedic surgeon and public health physio treatment) - so she has no choice - and because of pain and suffering - she has to see private specialists.

She doesn't receive enough to live on supported living, DA and part TAS. 

Part of the cost for her weekly physio treatment is covered by DA and TAS but she still doesn't have enough to cover the total cost of the fees. 

Her rent for a damp house at Kapiti is unaffordable, although it's considered a low rent and her health costs are high.

We should not have to go to Super loans to pawn items for small loans at 30% + interest to pay for a physio.

This is urgent, there are exceptional circumstances - and your staff should read the client's files - where it spells out how sick she is. 

Regional Inconsistencies in the way beneficiaries are treated

You need to see how different regions make their decisions. 

If my client's case was being considered in the Wellington region, she'd likely get the support - or at least some advice about alternative entitlements.

But not in Palmerston North, or even worse, Auckland.

SCM's seem to run offices how they see fit.

That can lead to inconsistencies re application of policy and legislation - not to mention terrible discrimination and disadvantage to some categories of beneficiaries. 

Surely, the law and the policy is the same New Zealand wide? 

MAP - WINZ
You need to repair the Work and Income MAP system on the website.

Your legislation looks clear enough at first glance and then we find that there's nasty surprises (in the form of clauses, directions, guidance etc) that negate the original clauses that we see up front. 

Sincerely
S. Paurini

Dear OIA_Requests (MSD),

I would like to withdraw my request.

Yours sincerely,

S. Paurini

Dear OIA_Requests (MSD),

I would like to withdraw my request.

Yours sincerely,

S. Paurini