Health Minister Tom Osborne says work to address some of the issues raised in the Citizens’ Representative report into challenges faced by parents and caregivers of children with complex medical needs is already underway.

The report, released yesterday, finds that programs and services are working in silos, and that caregivers are often either unaware or confused about eligibility.

Health Minister Tom Osborne says the Health Accord recommended a child, youth, and community health model.

Over the last few months, he says, the ministers of relevant departments have been meeting to “take the silos down between departments.”

He says they aren’t ready yet to reveal what the results of those talks are, but they will address many of the issues the Citizens’ Rep has raised.

A mom who lost her daughter to severe illness three years ago says supports being proposed now would have been invaluable to her then.

Amie Richards’ 11-year-old daughter, Minxie, suffered from severe cerebral palsy and chronic lung disease.

Yesterday, Richards was in the room for release of a report into how the system is failing parents and caregivers of children with medically complex conditions. In fact, she contributed to the investigation by Citizen’s Representative Bradley Moss, his report into the financial, physical and mental challenges involved, and its 12 recommendations.

Richards says corresponding legislation would have made a world of difference to her.

“If those had been in place, if that had been part of the service provision, it would have been much easier for us. We would have felt like we were supported, rather than we had to justify everything that we needed for my daughter’s care, to ensure she would survive.”