23 February 2006

Hodgson announces review of Focus 2000

The government will carry out an organisational review of Focus 2000 in addition to a financial audit and quality audits of the organisation's disability support facilities, Health Minister Pete Hodgson announced today.

The Minister's comments follow this afternoon's meeting between the Ministry of Health and the board of Focus 2000.

"A number of potentially serious issues about Focus 2000 have emerged over the past week," Pete Hodgson said. "The Ministry of Health and Focus 2000 have agreed that the issues need to be investigated urgently."

The actions agreed between the Ministry and Focus 2000 include:

- Organisational review – The independent review, scheduled to begin next week, will examine the organisation's business and management systems.

- Financial audit – Scheduled to begin within a fortnight, the audit will examine Focus 2000's finances, including all of the organisation's contracts with the Ministry of Health.

- Quality audits – A series of routine and independent quality audits of various Focus facilities were previously planned and will be carried out before the end of this financial year. These audits routinely include proactive information gathering from consumers and their families.

- Weekly meetings – Focus 2000 and the Ministry will next week begin a programme of weekly meetings to ensure full communication between the two parties and to address complaints and concerns.

The audit and review process will be completed by 30 June.

"The programme of audits and reviews will allow all of the issues that have been raised about Focus 2000 to be urgently investigated. It's also important that individuals who have additional concerns take the opportunity to raise them now so they can be addressed during the review process.

"The actions I've announced will allow for immediate action and will avoid the unnecessary delays that would arise from a politically convenient 'inquiry'."

ENDS

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