An Auckland father says he's devastated after a two-year struggle with health authorities trying to get safety glass installed at his home to protect his disabled son from injuring himself and others.
Zafar Gondal's 20-year-old son Diam is autistic, has epilepsy, and is deaf and blind. Gondal is a full-time carer for him, but getting assistance has caused him significant stress.
"I don't know what to say really about this. They're just pushing us away. Whatever help we ask for, they are just pushing us away," he said.
"It's just been devastating for us."
Gondal said his son has regular, unpredictable outbursts, so he's modified his house to make it as safe as possible. There are locks on doors and cupboards, heavy objects have been secured, and light fittings have been taken down.
"We have to remove them completely. There's no lights anymore."
Gondal said violent meltdowns occur five times a day, and every other week something is damaged, whether it be the washing machine, kitchen taps being ripped out, or holes smashed in the walls. Gondal and his wife pay for all the repairs, but his greatest concern is the windows.
When Diam was seven years old, a Ministry of Health-funded safety film was installed on windows to help stop shards of glass from falling out if one was smashed.
More than a decade on, Diam, who's tall and weighs 100 kilograms, is capable of breaking through the safety film.
In late December, he broke a window, picked up a piece of glass, and injured himself and his mum.
"He was there and he broke the window and he grabbed it, and the broken piece of glass has penetrated in his hand. Mum was trying to help and got injured as well," Gondal said.
He said he's been trying to get funding for the installation of safety glass for the best part of two years. He's gone to the Ministry, the local District Health Board (DHB), his local MP Dr Deborah Russell, and Health Minister Andrew Little - but no action. He said there's just talk of solutions.
He likened dealing with the DHB, the Health Ministry, and its contractor, Accessable, to "going around in circles."
"This process is making me so tired, and particularly seeing no result."
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The Waitemata DHB told Newshub that its "recommended modification work is undertaken" and a quote's been completed. They are "advocating strongly" to have the work completed and feel it's "clinically appropriate", but it needs approval from the Ministry of Health's Equipment and Modification Committee.
Disability advocates said Diam's case is not isolated.
"I think it is a wider problem wherever we have complexity. Our system does not allow our families to access all of the support we need in a timely way," said Bettina Syme, northern region general manager of CCS Disability Action.
The Health Ministry told Newshub it has "limited funding" but "will engage with the family directly". The Ministry refused to discuss any other aspects of the case, or say whether the Ministry's committee has considered Gondal's case.
"This process has drained us mentally, really," Gondal said.
It'll cost just over $11,000 for the safety glass, versus tens of thousands if Diam went into residential care.
"My question is what is the cost to New Zealand, to the system, if we don't invest?" Syme said. She told Newshub residential care is "incredibly expensive" and doesn't believe the rights of Diam or his family are being upheld when it comes to the principles of supporting disabled people.
She said funding safety glass seems like a "small measure" to address a much bigger issue for the family.
Gondal said all that matters is his son's happiness and they want him at home. They just want their home made safer.
