(Prague)The coalition of Czech organisations
providing social services to the disabled disagree with
the government's plan to transfer the power of
decision-making on disability subsidies from the state to
regions, Czech National Council of Disabled People
chairman Vaclav Krasa told journalists today.
A proposal for the changes in the law on social
services is part of the package of laws related to the
government-sponsored finance reform that is to be debated
in detail by the Chamber of Deputies in mid-August.
Krasa said that the rules that would allow to
re-distribute subsidies in such a way that all disabled
persons have an equal opportunity to receive state
disability support had not been yet prepared.
The power of the provision of disability subsidies
cannot be transferred to regions without prior
corrections, he said.
"This year, the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry was
able to made corrections in the regions' decision on
subsidies that gave preference to certain service
providers, but it will not be able to do so in the
future," Krasa said.
Since the regions themselves are often the providers
of bed facilities for the disabled and disability care
they will find themselves in conflict of interests,
chairman of the Health and Social Employees' Trade Union
(OSZSP) Jiri Schlanger said, adding that due to unclear
funding the regions would be unwilling to transfer the
facilities managed by them to other providers.
The coalition fears that the transfer of powers would
mean that out-patient facilities and associations that
advise on the choice of services would continue to have
access to disability subsidies. This would bring the
process of transformation of beds in medical facilities
to social care beds to a halt.
This will finally result in the limitation of the
choice of social services that the law that has been
valid for six months guarantees to the disabled.
Last Friday, coalition representatives met Labour and
Social Affairs Minister Petr Necas who accepted their
arguments. The coalition expects to hold talks with
politicians on the need of changes in July.
Previously, Prime Minister of the three-party
coalition government Mirek Topolanek (Civic Democrats,
ODS) did not rule out the possibility of the changes in
the reform package on condition that they are approved by
all government parties.
Other members of the government are Christian
Democrats (KDU-CSL) and the Green Party.
Source
www.ceskenoviny.cz
