A Canberra man has been stuck in hospital for more than six months as bureaucratic barriers prevent his return home.
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David Harkness has blasted the National Disability Insurance Agency as "bloody hopeless", as he awaits approval of funding for home modifications which are needed before he can leave hospital.
The agency confirmed it received Mr Harkness' request in January but said it couldn't be approved because it needed more information.
Mr Harkness is the human face of a problem which is plaguing public hospitals across Australia, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and filling much-needed beds with patients who have no medical reason to be there.
The Canberra Times has previously reported there are more than 1000 NDIS participants in Mr Harkness' situation across the country.
Advocates and the ACT government blame agency delays in processing paperwork for "exit block", but the federal government insists there are other complex factors at play, including supply of social housing by states and territories.
Mr Harkness was first admitted to hospital last September after his leg turned black.
"The doctors said I had a blockage in my femoral artery. My leg was dead," he said.
Mr Harkness underwent surgery to amputate his right leg below the knee, before he was moved to University of Canberra Hospital in October to start his rehabilitation.
More than 180 days later, Mr Harkness is still there.
"It's bloody depressing," the 61-year-old said during an interview conducted from his room inside the Bruce hospital.
Mr Harkness met the requirements to join the NDIS following his surgery and had his first funding plan approved in November.
His goal under his NDIS plan was to be able to return to his three-bedroom house in Kambah, where he was living with his son and their partner before his leg was amputated.
But agency reports, which The Canberra Times has seen, show Mr Harkness can't be discharged until modifications to make his house wheelchair accessible are completed. The retiree hasn't been approved for short-term accommodation.
Among the recommended modifications included a ramp to enter the house and widening the front door.
The Canberra Times understands the hospital provided the agency with information about Mr Harkness' case in November.
Further information, including building quotes, were supplied to the agency on January 13.
According to Mr Harkness' records, the agency hadn't responded to the request more than a month later, prompting the hospital to ask for an urgent review.
Records show that a back-and-forth ensued, with the agency requesting further information, including itemised quotes from builders.
The situation hadn't been resolved as of last week. Mr Harkness remains in hospital with no idea of when he might be able to return home.
"They [the NDIA] have had long enough to do it," Mr Harkness said.
"They've got the full report of what they need to do. So I don't see what their reasons/excuses are."
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In a statement to The Canberra Times, a spokeswoman said the agency couldn't approve Mr Harkness' request in January because it hadn't been provided with all of the required documentation, including quotes and development approvals.
She said Mr Harkness had been given an interim plan, which included funding to source fully-itemised, comparable quotes from various suppliers. The agency was awaiting these quotes, she said.
"Ensuring the safe and timely discharge of NDIS participants who are medically ready is a priority for the agency," she said.
"The NDIA, including an NDIA health liaison officer, has been in frequent contact with Mr Harkness's support network, to ensure he has the disability-related supports he needs - including funding for appropriate home modifications."
There were more than 20 NDIS participants awaiting discharge from Canberra hospitals as of November last year.
The ACT and Commonwealth in February commenced monthly meetings in an attempt to fix the problem, which the territory's minister for disabilities, Emma Davidson, hopes will create a template for the states to adopt.
Ms Davidson said the work underway would help people such as Mr Harkness return home sooner and receive the care they needed.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
