Disability Support System-Demonised

The Government structures around disability support are so complex, fragmented and lacking focus I thought I should relay my experiences with it.

I see all of the press and goverment bleating about leaners and lifters, bludgers, malingerers etc etc etc. Truth is that the hurdles are so high to even qualify for the DSP, it is absurd to suggest anyone who is actually on it to somehow manipulated the system to qualify.

It is alleged, based on anecdotal evidence, that years ago the DSP was used as a sort of unemployment replacement payment. However everyone forgets that that doctors perviously had to certify DSP recipients, believing the applicant to be entitled to it.

In my view, the contemptable obligations to be put into place concerning the unemployed mirror the fundemental lack of understanding that government ministers have in this area and the area of disability, particiularly mental illness, other than in a budgetory way.

Anyway back to my story. I qualify for the DSP because of the severity of my schizoaffective disorder. However I made a decison that I did not want the pension but to try and live off my savings until such time as I could land a job.

I have periods where I am unwell but I also have times when I am well. I have had a couple of mental health unit and clinic admissions, the longest being 3 months. After my latest admission and the very successfull treatment that I recieved I decided it was time to work again. To obtain the services of a disability employment provider,

I had to 1. Have a recognised disability and 2. obtain a job capacity assessment. Centrelink oeganised my assessment with a medical professional who was reluctant to approve my working at all.

Her knowledge of the disorder and what flows from it was to put it very kindly, minimal.There was a letter from my psych saying I was stabilised which was the only medical evidence I had.

No proper consideration was given to my wishes and there was very no questioning except one question focusing on my hallucinations. I put forward that I have a flat mate who makes sure I eat, take my medication, have proper hygeine and can make sure I can get to any place of employment. This was ignored.

After a great deal of begging I finally was approved for maximum 15 hrs per week. I appealed this as I wanted a full time job but I was told I couldnt appeal the assessment.

The only way I could have it reviewed was for my psych to provide evidence to centrelink that might be considered for increased hours. What a ludicrous system. I am now stuck with a service provider who is only marketing me for 8-15 hrs per week based on that assessment. Without being critical,

I have been to the service provider 3 times. I have not seen the same person twice. I get called gregory, which is not my name, and I havent had any meaningfull discussion about emplyment at all. I know the employment services work in a difficult area but they contract to do that work and get payed for it by the government.

So I am stuck in the system at the moment. I want to work full time but cant and at 8-15 hrs per week I would earn about $250 per week at the basic wage, which is about the same as the unemployment benefit and quite a bit less than the DSP. I did momentarily consider applying for the DSP this week because I just felt like giving in.

I have now got over that and will push on with my search for a job.Just goes to show that no matter which way you come at it, with mental illness you are discriminated against, even inadvertantly. My experience was that I dont think I was taken seriously because I have Schizophrenia. I will write more on this subject.