Good afternoon Amanda

RNZ acknowledges receipt of your OIA request. Under the Official Information Act 1982 we have 20 working days to respond, and will contact you via email /post. If for any reason our response is delayed due to illness, or pandemic we will advise immediately.

Kind regards
Maggie Hedge| OIA Administrator RNZ
[email address]

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Kia ora Amanda

 

In response to your 4 questions below, RNZ provides the information in
italics and the attached documents.

 

 

 1. What date was this article written prior to its publication?

The article was written on the afternoon of the 7th July 2021, after the
reporter listened to the select committee hearing live. The article then
went through an editorial review process prior to publication.

 

 2. How did RNZ gain access to the information in the article to report on
the issue of sensitive claims handling?

By interviewing those quoted in the article and asking ACC for comment.

 

 3. Please provide the full statement from ACC provided to RNZ in lieu of
an interview as quoted in the article.

The following was sent from ACC:

 

“In your story you say: “Therapists say they have been blindsided by ACC's
decision to shut down its sensitive claims unit without any consultation.”

 

We have been liaising with the mental health sector about our proposed
changes to the way sensitive claims are managed since at least Dec 2019
through webinars, newsletters and liaison group meetings.

 

Webinars for ISSC Suppliers and Providers:

 

There were five webinars:

o 3 December 2019
o 10 December 2019
o 23 June 2020
o 25 June 2020
o 4 August 2020

 

The blub on the invite for these says:

 

We’re hosting a series of webinars next month to give our sensitive claims
providers more information about the changes and to answer any questions
you may have. The webinars will be an opportunity to hear about the
principles underpinning our new way of supporting clients and key aspects
of the model, including:

•             the dedicated one-on-one support provided to clients through
claim lodgement, supported assessment, and into treatment

•             privacy controls

•             the location of teams around New Zealand

•             the new roles to support clients whose recovery has
progressed to the point where their need for contact with ACC has reduced

•             your voice in matching our clients to the right support.

 

We’ll also discuss the important aspects from our current model that we
are retaining.

 

o Link to the webinars – these can still be accessed:

[1]Recordings of our June and July webinars are still available. The
password to access the webinar recordings is: ACCwebinar-2020

 

o The information on the ACC website (which was focused on Providers),
including the Q&As

or you can [2]visit our website, if you’d like more information about our
new ways of working.

 

o ISSC Newsletters (I don’t have access to any pre Sept 2019) – we could
also look at the General ACC provider Updates – again I don’t have
these, but we could find out who has access. We also referred the
Transformation newsletter – we may need to track these down.

o (September 2020) in this newsletter is specially says: Our
centralised Sensitive Claims Unit closed as we introduced our new
client service model, but we continue to maintain a significant
presence in Wellington to support sensitive claims. (attached)
o ISSC Newsletter November 2020 – there is an article ‘Why we
consider transitions between Partnered Recovery and Assisted
Recovery’
o ISSC Newsletter December 2019 – there is an article ‘Supporting
our clients in the right way, at the right time. (It also
provides the links to the December webinars)
o ISSC Newsletter September 2019 – there is an article ‘Supporting
our clients in the right way, at the right time. With a link to
the ACC website with more information

 

 

Copies of some of these are attached.

 

In your story you say: “They said ACC told them at the end of 2019 that it
planned to stop giving sensitive claims clients personal case managers and
instead assign them to a team of what it called "recovery partners or
assistants".

 

When a sensitive claim is lodged, the client will have a dedicated and
trained recovery partner (previously called a case manager). At some point
their claim may be managed by a team, this move will only be done in
consultation with the client and/or their provider. “

 

 

 4. Who at ACC provided the statement to RNZ?

The statement was sent form ACC’s communications department.

 

As we are required to do, this message is to also advise you that our
response to your request can be referred to the Ombudsman’s Office for
review under s 28 (3) of the Official Information Act if you wish.

 

Kind regards

 

George Bignell | Legal Adviser and Procurement Manager

RADIO NEW ZEALAND | LEVEL 2 | 155 THE TERRACE

PO BOX 123 | WELLINGTON | NEW ZEALAND 6140 | [3]www.rnz.co.nz

DDI +64 4 474 1424 | [mobile number]

 

[4]RNZ-logo-reo                                           

 

 

________________________________________

From: RNZ <[5][email address]>

Sent: Thursday, 16 February 2023 10:32:00 am (UTC+12:00) Auckland,
Wellington

To: George Bignell

Subject: FW: [EXTERNAL] - Official Information request - ACC defends
closure of specialised unit handling claims from sexual abuse victims

 

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