Family fears there will be deaths as NDIS changes hit close to home

A Goondiwindi man, Shane Danes, who has complex care needs, is facing challenges due to changes in his National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan. His support provider, Michelle Doughty, has expressed concerns that the reduction in funding has left him vulnerable.

According to Ms Doughty, Shane Danes requires round-the-clock care at his home in the rural Queensland town of Goondiwindi. However, due to the shortfall in funding, his elderly parents, Toni and Merven Danes, both 90, have had to support him for two hours each evening.

The family and carers of Shane Danes say that the changes to his NDIS plan have left him vulnerable. Ms Doughty has stated that she was so worried about the situation that she came into work early on April 21 and found Mr Danes vomiting, which she feared could have been fatal had she not been with him.

Disability advocates have expressed concerns that the changes to the NDIS plan are not unusual, with providers being forced to choose between earning a living wage and keeping their clients alive. Shane Danes is a 64-year-old man who lives with an acquired brain injury and spinal cord injury from a car crash 44 years ago and a fall in 2022.

Shane Danes is described as a "social butterfly" who enjoys social outings and is a die-hard Parramatta Eels fan. However, due to the reduction in funding, his support provider has had to reduce the social outings he enjoys.