Reference: OIA3500

Scout Barbour - Evans
[FYI request #28659 email]

25 November 2024

Tēnā koe Scout

On 5 October 2024, you emailed Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha (the Ministry)
requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA), the following information:
   “1. Policy documents which discuss health conditions which should,
and should not be covered by DSS or NASC providers.
2. Internal analysis, including economic analysis, analysis of needs,
and advice received by the Ministry as to whether or not patients with
Long Covid and ME/CFS should be able to access DSS or NASC support
and coverage.
3. Correspondence providing advice, that has been sent to NASC
providers and Te Whatu Ora about this coverage.”

On 11 October 2024, the Ministry transferred Part 3 of your request to the Ministry of
Social Development – Disability Support Services (DSS). They will respond to your
request in due course.

I apologise for the delay in providing you the remaining information.

Information identified as within scope of your request is listed in Appendix One with
copies of documents attached. Appendix One also lists the decision for each document
and outlines the reason for any withheld material.

We thought it would be helpful to provide some additional context to the information
in this package.  Early this year, the Ministry was scoping a medium-term work
programme to review eligibility for Disability Support Services and was working with
an external Advisory Group as part of this process. In April 2024, the Minister for
Disability Issues commissioned an independent review of DSS and requested the
Ministry to stop its work regarding eligibility for DSS.

On 16 September 2024, Disability Support Services transferred to the Ministry of
Social Development (MSD). MSD now has responsibility for funding and administering
these services and responding to the findings of the independent review.

I trust this information fulfils your request. If you wish to discuss this response with
us, please feel free to contact [Ministry for Disabled People request email].

If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to seek an investigation
and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is
available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.

Ngā mihi nui

Emma Williams
Manager, Ministerial and Executive Services

Appendix One

No
Document
Decision
Policy Documents
1
Disability support services
Released in full
operational policy 2017 - 2020
2
Petition of Associated Myalgic
Refused under section 18(d) of the
Encephalomyelitis Society
OIA as the information requested
Incorporated
is publicly available: Petition of
Associated Myalgic
Encephalomyelitis Society
Incorporated: Reclassification of
ME/CFS to disability
(selectcommittees.parliament.nz)
3
Whaikaha response to the
Refused under section 18(d) of the
Petition of Associated Myalgic
OIA as the information requested
Encephalomyelitis Society
is publicly available: Whaikaha -
Incorporated
New Zealand Parliament
(www.parliament.nz)
4
20 December 2023
Released with some information
REP/WHK/23/12/015 Background withheld under section 9(2)(ba)(i)
on the approach to scoping the
of the OIA (to protect information
Review of Eligibility for Disability
which is subject to an obligation of
Support Services
confidence or which any person
has been or could be compelled to
provide under the authority of any
enactment, where the making
available of the information would
be likely to prejudice the supply of
similar information, or information
from the same source, and it is in
the public interest that such
information should continue to be
supplied) and section 9(2)(g)(i) of
the OIA (maintain the effective
conduct of public affairs through
the free and frank expression of

opinions by or between or to
Ministers of the Crown or
members of an organisation or
officers and employees of any
public service agency or
organisation in the course of their
duty).
Internal Analysis
5
Letter to ODI 28 August 2023
Released in full
6
9 Oct 2023 Response to ANZMES  Released with some information
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA, to protect the privacy of
natural persons.
7
31 July 2023 Letter to Minister
Released in full
for Disability Issues
8
Reclassification report ANZMES
Released in full
July 2022
9
Reclassification of ME/CFS –
Released in full
issues, solutions, frameworks
and benefits
10
Eligibility Advisory Group Dec
Relevant excerpts provided in
2023 minutes of meeting
accordance with section 16 of the
OIA.
11
Eligibility Advisory Group Feb
2024 minutes of meeting
Research sent to Whaikaha
12
Email dated 14 Feb 2024 from
Released with some information
President of Associated NZ
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
Myalagic Encephalomyelitis
the OIA, to protect the privacy of
Society Inc in scoping review
natural persons.
Analysis in relation to ME/CFS or Long COVID
13
Draft analysis outcome areas and  Withheld in full under section
scope options DSS eligibility
9(2)(g)(i) of the OIA, to maintain
review March 2024
the effective conduct of public

14
Draft analysis of the costs of the
affairs through the free and frank
status quo as part of preparing
expression of opinions by or
analysis on eligibility review
between or to Ministers of the
scope options
Crown or members of an
organisation or officers and
employees of any public service
agency or organisation in the
course of their duty.

Document Outline