09 September 2021

Amanda Murtagh
[FYI request #16301 email]

Tēnā koe Amanda

Your Official Information Act request, reference: GOV-013246
Thank you for your email of 5 August 2021, asking for the fol owing information under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act):

1.  What was the involvement of the ACC Board of Directors to the ACC Key Performance Indicators
detailed in ACC Service Agreement 2020-2021 in relation to the decision made to change the
service delivery model regarding sensitive claims?
Specifically:
“Our most important performance measures are presented in our Statement of Intent 2018-22.
These measures best reflect the aspects of performance we can control. They are closely aligned
with the expectations of the Minister for ACC, as expressed in the letter of expectations.
Together, they provide a succinct view of: • how we are delivering impact • the extent to which
we are meeting customer expectations • the extent to which we are delivering a scheme that
New Zealanders have trust and confidence in • whether we are delivering a cost-effective
scheme that provides fair compensation in return for a fair levy. These key performance
measures cover our strategic intentions and extend to providing transparency in how we are
developing our organisational health and capabilities and the success of our transformation
efforts.”
2.  Please provide all papers and comments from management and board members regarding
discussions, consultations, reports and analysis regarding the decision to change the delivery
model for sensitive claims, specifically in consideration of 1. above, including any correspondence
or call notes between ACC Management, ACC Board and/or the Minister or Ministry of ACC or
any representatives or agents.
3.  Why in your letter to me on 8 March 2021 did you not explain about the service delivery model
changes regarding sensitive claims, when you had every opportunity to do so?
4.  Who authorised at ACC the cover-up article in RNZ about sensitive claims 7 July 2021 back dating
the decision to September 2020?

Question 1
ACC’s Board approves the Service Agreement. The key performance measures are developed internally
by ACC.

Question 2
This part of your request is extremely broad and would require us to search through thousands of pages
of documents, emails, meeting notes and board minutes to identify and col ate the information you
have requested. This is because the changes ACC made to the handling of sensitive claims were made as
part of a wider change to how ACC provides support to clients, and much of the information requested
is within other documents and included in conversations that are not easily identifiable as relevant to
your request. As such, this part of your request is refused under section 18(f) of the Act, as to provide
the information requested would require substantial col ation and research.

However, we are able to provide you with some information about the changes to claims management
at ACC which you may find useful.

GOV-013246

Transformation at ACC
Over the past few years, ACC has undertaken a far-reaching transformation programme known as
Shaping Our Future. This programme of work was launched in 2014 in response to feedback we had
from thousands of New Zealanders (including clients and ACC staff) who told us that they wanted ACC to
be more responsive, more transparent and easier to deal with.

To meet these expectations, we have aligned our people, processes, information and technology around
the needs of our customers, including clients. As part of this, we developed a new case management
approach cal ed Next Generation Case Management (NGCM).

Under the new model, there are four Recovery Teams that operate across the country. Clients are
managed in a Recovery Team according to their level of need. The Recovery Teams, and the clients they
support, are:
•  Enabled Recovery - clients primarily manage their own recovery using an online portal to select
services and regularly check in. Clients can contact an ACC team for support also.
•  Assisted Recovery - clients primarily manage their own recovery. A Recovery Assistant will
contact them at key milestones in their recovery or if a client requires assistance.
•  Supported Recovery - clients have a dedicated Recovery Coordinator who works with the client
to recover from their injury.
•  Partnered Recovery - clients build a relationship with a Recovery Partner who supports them
and their whānau to manage their injury or recovery.

Service provided to sensitive claims clients under NGCM
It is important to stress that under this new model, sensitive claims clients continue to receive the same
one-to-one support from specially- trained ACC staff that was previously the case. We have, however,
made a number of changes that have resulted in a better and more responsive service. The key change
is that instead of a centralised unit, we now have dedicated teams of Recovery Partners managing
sensitive claims across eight locations: Whangarei, Newmarket, Hamilton, Tauranga, Hawke’s Bay,
Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. At the same time, the number of people working 1:1 with
survivors has increased from 85 to 140.

ACC knows that over time, needs change, and for many clients once they are in treatment and are wel
supported, their need for contact with ACC reduces. For many clients, this means that their needs could
be best met by a smal  team of Recovery Assistants (Assisted Recovery). The decision to transition a
claim to Assisted Recovery is done collaboratively and must be discussed with the client and/or their
provider prior to transition. Please note that the transition discussion happens with the client, but for
some clients, they may elect for this conversation be with their provider – hence the and/or.

The changes began in September 2019 and were completed in September 2020.

The sensitive claims unit
ACC’s decision was to implement a new claims management model (i.e. NGCM), and the decision to
move the management of sensitive claims into Partnered and Assisted Recovery was made as part of
this wider change.

The fol owing documents, attached at Appendix 1, provide the rationale for changes to the way that ACC
managed claims and the introduction of Next Generation Claims Management (NGCM):
•  Client Service Delivery Phase 2 (October 2018)
•  Client Service Delivery Phase 3 (April 2019).

Accident Compensation Corporation
Page 2 of 3

GOV-013246

Please note that the documents provided were internal ACC consultation and feedback documents and
were not used to consult with clients or other stakeholders. We have removed the names of staff
members named in the attachment under section 9(2)(a) of the Act, to protect the individuals privacy.
We have considered the public interest in releasing the information and have determined that it does
not outweigh the need to protect the individuals privacy.

Question 3
Thank you for providing the letter referred to in your request. The information provided was in response
to very specific questions related to personal information you had recently received from ACC. The
individual who provided your personal information answered your questions about file access and did
not consider it necessary to provide additional information regarding the changes to ACC’s case
management system.

Question 4
ACC does not consider that there is a cover-up article. Further information about ACC’s support for
individuals with a sensitive claim can be found at https://www.acc.co.nz/newsroom/stories/supporting-
survivors-of-sexual-assault-and-abuse/.

How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can email me at [email address].

If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the Ombudsman.
Information about how to do this is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800
802 602.

Nāku iti noa, nā

Sasha Wood
Manager Official Information Act Services
Government Engagement & Support

Accident Compensation Corporation
Page 3 of 3

Document Outline