That’s the opinion of Maitland Community Care general manager Suzanne Fuller, whose organisation will be bound by July 1, 2015, changes as part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme rollout.

Under the NDIS, the government will give patients money directly, instead of funding service providers, after an assessing each patient based on goals.

Patients will then spend their allocated money on the services of their choice.

But Metford woman Michelle Davies, who needed 24-hour care for recessive Duchenne muscular dystrophy, was concerned about what this would mean for her.

The condition severely affects her ability to breathe, has her wheelchair-bound and reliant on constant care from her 64-year-old mother Christine.

Specialised carers visit the 36-year-old twice a day to help her shower, dress and to perform other personal duties.

She also receives other services including physiotherapy.

Ms Davies feared that the impending changes would mean a loss of access to some of these services, which would put more pressure on her mother as a carer.

She said this could force her to move into a nursing home.

“We don’t know what is going to happen and it’s frightening,” Ms Davies said.

“It might be good for others, but for people in my case, we won’t be able to get the care we want.

“Care givers aren’t considered. If I can’t afford it [with her funding ­allocation] then mum will be working with me 24/7 and she needs a break.”

Ms Fuller said the disability care system was not sustainable in its current form and the government needed to make changes.

She said Maitland Community Care had been encouraged to reduce ­services to individuals and increase its client base.

“Personally I’d be very surprised if it works,” Ms Fuller said.

“It will leave the most vulnerable people exposed. 

“The people under 65, they are always the ones left behind.”