The disability sector is in the grip of a funding crisis that's a tragedy waiting to happen, according to the NZ Disability Support Network.
Its comments follow Checkpoint revealing Laura Fergusson rehabilitation will be closing all its rehab and residential services in Auckland, Waikato and Whanganui by August citing the Ministry of Health's refusal to provide more funding as a core reason for the closure.
But the Ministry of Health says it never received any requests for extra funding from Laura Fergusson Rehabilitation and is not aware of any other disability providers in financial difficulty.
New Zealand Disability Support Network chief executive Doctor Garth Bennie says many service providers are in constant contact with the Ministry over funding shortfalls.
He told Lisa Owen there are about 40,000 New Zealanders receiving disability funding through the Ministries of Health and Social Development.
That number does not include people supported through ACC.
