Getting East Coast locals who live with diabetes what they need to manage their diabetes can be a smooth process. We chat with Lana Reed, a social worker at Pinnacle who serves the Tairāwhiti region.

By chance, Lana Reed was waiting in line at the Gisborne Work and Income office with a client’s forms for the Disability Allowance when a staff member approached her. She turned out to be the manager of the service centre who recognised her name and said, ‘let’s meet’.

The meeting was fruitful, and, to streamline the previously confusing process, a case manager was specifically assigned to handle all disability allowance applications from people living with diabetes. Lana has been in her current job as a social worker for two and a half years, and Kim Cameron, the local clinical nurse specialist in diabetes, started not long after her. That’s when Kim asked how they could get the Freestyle Libre Continuous Glucose Meter funded for those receiving a benefit. Together, and with the cooperation of WINZ, the pair invested a lot of time into creating an easy process. ‘Our WINZ service centre here’s really good. They’ve understood what needs to be done, and they’re able to do it.’

IDENTIFYING THOSE IN NEED

Lana’s work covers much of the East Coast, from Matawai, down to Gisborne and completing its circuit at Hicks Bay. Pinnacle also has a rural clinic in Te Karaka, which is 30 minutes outside Gisborne.

Kim will identify a patient from her case load who will qualify. She carries the WINZ forms with her and will go through them with each client. If the client is unable to fill out the forms themselves, then Lana will visit to help. ‘Some of our patients might’ve had a stroke and can’t write. I go through it all with them, explain it, and then I’m able to write the forms for them.’ Once they sign it, she can then deliver the paperwork to the WINZ service centre and follow up if need be.

‘It means they’re not worrying about it. There’s somebody out there who knows what they’re doing. A lot of our patients feel a bit whakamā about going into WINZ or requesting support. They feel they won’t get it. So they have somebody who knows the system, who knows what to ask, and who makes sure that things are getting done properly.’

PAYMENTS

WINZ will pay up to a maximum of $70.04 a week for the Disability Allowance. This payment is not taxed. How much you get depends on the extra costs you have because of your disability. It can be used to pay for a Freestyle Libre subscription. Or it can be used to pay for a medical alarm, MedicAlert membership fees, medical fees, or counselling. It can even be used towards gardening and window cleaning if the client is unable to do these tasks themselves.

According to the WINZ website, you do not have to be on a benefit to quality for a Disability Allowance. But WINZ will consider how much you and your partner earn, as well as your assets. You can also apply for the Child Disability Allowance if you are caring for a child with a chronic condition.

CGM

The time it takes from lodging the forms with WINZ to having the Freestyle Libre arrive in your letterbox takes is, on average, about four to six weeks. Firstly, MediRay sets up an account for a patient, and that is where WINZ will redirect the Disability Allowance payment to. ‘What WINZ and MediRay do is a lump sum at the beginning, so they’re always in credit. And they’re coming before the patient needs it. So if the road closes for a few days, our patients aren’t without.’ The next thing people need to do is to contact their diabetes nurse to show them how to put it on.

FEEDBACK

Lana is thrilled to see the difference the disability allowance has made in people’s lives, including the wider whānau. ‘They have control over their health and their life. They can monitor themselves when they want to. We have a lot of whānau caring for patients and they go, “I don’t have to finger prick anymore. I felt like I was hurting my mum, or my dad.” But now they don’t have to prick.’ Lana says that patients enjoy learning what effects different foods have on their bodies as well. For example, when someone has an orange juice, they will see their levels go up. They can see in real time what’s going on with their blood sugar. ‘I did a visit with a patient, and she had her two sisters over. Now we’ve got all three sisters, and they’re all having competitions on who gets what numbers. They all go to the doctor together and get it put on together. It’s great. It’s made a massive difference. We’ve got patients on their second year of funding now, and they don’t want to stop.’

WHAT YOU NEED TO GET A FUNDED FREESTYLE LIBRE

• A support letter from your GP or Diabetes Nurse Specialist, stating that the device is not funded and how having it would support the patient’s health and well-being. They should add the reason why general finger pricking is not suitable for the patient – for example, the patient is elderly, has suffered a stroke, or has low vision.

• A copy of the last 12 months of GP visits.

• A 12-month pharmacy invoice, broken down into fortnightly payments.

• An invoice from MediRay, stating costs for a year’s worth of sensors and 12 months’ worth of freight.

  Every 12 months you will need to reapply for this allowance. Sometimes, freight costs can change. If this happens, get a copy of this invoice with the updated costs, ask your doctor to sign the form again, and return it to WINZ.

WHO CAN GET THE DISABILITY ALLOWANCE

You may get the allowance if you:

• have a disability that is likely to last at least six months

• have regular ongoing costs because of your disability that are not fully covered by another agency

• are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident

• normally live in New Zealand and intend to stay here.

  It also depends on how much you and your partner earn.

The income limits for Disability Allowance are:

Your situation Weekly income limits before tax

Single 16-17 years $588.98

Single 18+ years $733.72

Couple (with or without children) $1,092.55

Sole parent 1 child $821.43

Sole parent 2+ children $865.46

(Source: www.workandincome.govt.nz)

First shared in the Autumn 2023 issue of Diabetes Wellness.