ASEHA Qld

Letter for Doctors and other support people to assist people into the right kind of housing

This should read:

1. What is wrong

Mr/Ms...............suffers with allergy and/or Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

2. What things affect them

He/she is sensitive to ............ (e.g. carpets formaldehyde, plasticisers, pesticides and other volatile organic compounds VOCs) and reacts adversely to these in his/her environment.

3. How these affect them

These substances cause Mr/Ms.............. (e.g. severe respiratory problems such as asthma, allergy problems such as anaphylaxis on exposure to fragrances and neurological problems such as (eg migraine).......................

4. Type of accommodation necessary

As the only known treatment for this problem is avoidance of exposure to substances that provoke reactions, Mr/Ms ............. needs to be housed in a detached, 2 bedroom dwelling with no (e.g. formaldehyde, plastics, pesticides, VOCs).............. This is essential as exposure to synthetic chemicals in the bedroom will cause...........................

Mr/Ms ................ should not be housed in a unit or town house as cleaning compounds, pesticides, synthetic chemicals and highly perfumed products routinely used by neighbours in his/her immediate vicinity will exacerbate his/her ................ (eg migraines, asthma,provoke life threatening allergic reactions, respiratory, neurological problems) and unnecessarily compromise his/her life/health.

Sample letter:

Mrs Parker-Brown suffers with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). She is sensitive to formaldehyde, xylene, toluene, terpenes and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), motor exhausts, fragrances, cigarette smoke, pesticides and herbicides.She is also likely to react to most synthetic chemicals in her environment. These substances cause Mrs Parker-Brown intractable migraines, severe muscle spasms, throat swellings and stomach cramps.

As the only known treatment for MCS is avoidance, Mrs Parker-Brown's accommodation needs are a detached, 2 bedroom dwelling with no levels of formaldehyde, VOCs, pesticides and synthetic chemicals. A second room is essential as exposure to synthetic chemicals in clothing and personal effects in her bedroom will provoke the above symptoms. She needs a room clear of anything that causes ill health to ensure proper rest and a place to recover from chemical exposures.

Mrs Parker-Brown should not be housed in a unit or town house as cleaning compounds, pesticides, herbicides, synthetic chemicals and highly perfumed products routinely used by most people in her immediate vicinity will cause severe symptoms which can damage her health and may threaten her life.It is also possible that ongoing exposure to cleaning compounds, cigarette smoke, pesticides and other chemicals used by neighbours may result in a reaction that will threaten her life or require emergency hospital care, a worsening of her chemical sensitivities and an overall deterioration in her general health

Yours sincerely

Dr Croak (pardon the pun)

If you are unsuccessful in achieving the required level of disability accommodation for your special needs, you have the right of appeal to the Queensland Department of Housing. If you are still unsuccessful following an appeal to the Queensland Department of Housing, you can lodge a complaint on the grounds of disability discrimination to the Queensland Anti Discrimination Commission, or the use the processes of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission and the Disability Discrimination Act.

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