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SOSA response to ACC Clinical Pathway review
Survivors of Sexual Abuse New Zealand Charitable Trust (SOSA NZ),
An independent review into the ACC Sensitive Claims Clinical Pathway has proposed 14 recommendations. Whilst ACC are yet to agree on all recommendations, SOSA (NZ) has welcomed the immediate commencement of 16 counseling sessions granted to “new and/or existing claimants”.
Ken Clearwater, SOSA Board Member and former member of the ‘ACC Service Improvement Project’, is pleased “the Government has accepted that the Clinical Pathways was damaging and want to make changes”.
However, SOSA President Gudrun Frerichs remains skeptical. “Although the report represents very well the concerns of survivors and mental health professionals, the recommendations are formulated quite vague and give ACC a lot of room to dodge the items.”
Gudrun is concerned that whilst the recommendations are a step in the right direction, any improvement for survivors hinges on the independent supervisory panel (yet to be established) to interpret those recommendations.
“It appears that ACC has actually not had a change of heart but is rather bowing down (reluctantly) to the pressure of the review panel.”
There is no disputing that the recommendations made by the Panel are a positive step forward but concerns are being raised about just how or if ACC will implement any of the proposed changes. A report in the Otago Daily Times on Monday, 20 September, said ACC planned to cut a further 1150 long-term claimants from their list.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and maintain public pressure for all those recommendations to be implemented”, said Gudrun Frerichs.
To read the ACC Review Panel Report visit: http://admin.beehive.govt.nz/webfm_send/13 (PDF document, 2.4 MB)