19 April 2022
Tui Aroha Williams
[FYI request #18835 email]
Kia ora Tui Aroha
Your Official Information Act request, reference: GOV-017376
Thank you for your email of 23 March 2022, asking for the following information under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act):
How many doctors or therapists or Accident Compensation Corporation claimants have complained to
Accident Compensation Corporation of Accident Compensation Corporation service since 1972 please
add that up and share it as that is my main question clarified presicisely in a way Accident
Compensation Corporation can answer as its a question.
I need that answer to seek a pattern in Accident Compensation Corporation running of the scheme and
where I can see what works and what does not.
I understand all complaints are without names but Accident Compensation Corporation do keep count
and I want the number of complaints and the different categories too as in complaints aboutwork
payments one category to sensitive claims complaints to levy amount complaints to case owner
complaints is another section to the Accident Compensation Corporation scheme as a whole and
whether it should be there complaint so I want all complaints sent to me and their outcome whether
fixed sorted or dropped as inactive.
We have already provided you with information about complaints linked to sensitive claims
On 10 March 2022, we responded to your request for information about complaints linked to sensitive
claims (our ref: GOV-016503). Therefore, we are not providing any further information about complaints
linked to sensitive claims in this response.
Complaints by doctors or therapists (providers)
Providers have most of the same options for lodging complaints as claimants – they can lodge complaints
locally (through Client Recovery staff), through their Portfolio Specialist/key contact person, or through the
Customer Resolutions Team.
As ACC does not have a central record of complaints made by providers, we are refusing your request for
the number of complaints made by doctors or therapists, as it would require substantial collation and
research. This decision is made under section 18(f) of the Act.
We cannot provide the remaining complaints information you have requested
As advised in our response to you dated 10 March 2022 (ref: GOV-016503), there are limitations on ACC’s
complaints data prior to 2010 because they were stored in a separate complaints database. These
complaint files have since been scanned into ACC’s current client information system, Eos; however, they
are not easily located.
Additionally, in order to provide the number of complaints broken down by the categories you have
requested, and the outcome of those complaints, we would need to undertake a manual search through
thousands of claims. Therefore, we are refusing to provide this information as it would require substantial
collation and research. This decision is made under section 18(f) of the Act.
GOV-017376 Page 1 of 2
Where we have refused to provide information under section 18(f) of the Act
In making our decision to refuse under section 18(f) we have considered extending our response timeframe
for your request and/or charging (under the Act). However, we have not offered either of these options as
we have determined that the resources required to extract the information would have a significant impact
on the everyday functions of the team(s) involved.
If you’re concerned about this response, please get in touch
You can email me a
t [email address]. If you are not happy with this response, you can also contact the Ombudsman via
[email address] or by phoning 0800 802 602. Information about how to make a complaint
is available
at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz. Ngā mihi
Sara Freitag
Acting Manager Official Information Act Services
Government Engagement & Support
GOV-017376 Page 2 of 2
