❓ Question on Notice regarding the number of users and average costs associated with disability services provided directly by the Disability Services Commission and by disability sector organisations in Western Australia.
AnsweredQoN 3556Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to users of services offered and/or funded by the Disability Services Commission, and I ask: (a) in each of 2014-15 and 2015-16 to date, how many users accessed services provided directly by the Disability Services Commission; (b) in each of 2014-15 and 2015-16 to date, how many users accessed services provided by disability sector organisations; (c) in each of 2014-15 and 2015-16 to date, what was the average cost per service user of services provided directly by the Disability Services Commission; and (d) in each of 2014-15 and 2015-16 to date, what was the average cost per service user of services provided by disability sector organisations?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
1 December 2015
Responded by
Minister for Disability Services
Response time
42 days
Prefatory notes to the answer for QON 3556.
I. For answers (a) and (b) it should be noted that individuals can access both DSC and disability sector organisation (DSO) delivered services. Consequently some individuals are included in the total for both (a) and (b). This means that the sum of totals of (a) and (b) is not equivalent to the total number of users reported in the 2014-15 Annual Report.
II. In answers (c) and (d) it is reported that the average cost for DSC users is substantially lower than for DSO users. This occurs because the majority of DSC clients receive lower cost services (mainly coordination) while there is a much higher proportion of DSO clients who receive higher cost services (mainly accommodation support and community focussed supports). This different weighting of the calculated average costs results in the observed differences. It means these observed differences do not have any implications for the relative efficiency in the delivery of equivalent services.
Answer
(a) 2014-15: 12,445
2015-16: data not available as comprehensive data collection only occurs at the end of financial year
(b) 2014-15: 20,685
2015-16: data not available as comprehensive data collection only occurs at the end of financial year
(c) 2014-15: $18,574
2015-16: data not available as comprehensive data collection only occurs at the end of financial year
(d) 2014-15: $31,029
2015-16: data not available as comprehensive data collection only occurs at the end of financial year
I. For answers (a) and (b) it should be noted that individuals can access both DSC and disability sector organisation (DSO) delivered services. Consequently some individuals are included in the total for both (a) and (b). This means that the sum of totals of (a) and (b) is not equivalent to the total number of users reported in the 2014-15 Annual Report.
II. In answers (c) and (d) it is reported that the average cost for DSC users is substantially lower than for DSO users. This occurs because the majority of DSC clients receive lower cost services (mainly coordination) while there is a much higher proportion of DSO clients who receive higher cost services (mainly accommodation support and community focussed supports). This different weighting of the calculated average costs results in the observed differences. It means these observed differences do not have any implications for the relative efficiency in the delivery of equivalent services.
Answer
(a) 2014-15: 12,445
2015-16: data not available as comprehensive data collection only occurs at the end of financial year
(b) 2014-15: 20,685
2015-16: data not available as comprehensive data collection only occurs at the end of financial year
(c) 2014-15: $18,574
2015-16: data not available as comprehensive data collection only occurs at the end of financial year
(d) 2014-15: $31,029
2015-16: data not available as comprehensive data collection only occurs at the end of financial year
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