07 May 2025
Bruce Van Essen
[FYI request #30423 email]
Kia ora
Your Official Information Act request, reference: GOV-038792
Thank you for your email of 14 March 2025, asking for information regarding DriveMed NZ’s contract
with ACC under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). We are responding to your questions in turn
below.
Responses to questions
1. Please provide costs paid for each year for the last 5 years from ACC to DriveMed NZ a Christchurch
based Occupational therapist service contracted to ACC.
DriveMed NZ have held the Transport for Independence Assessment (TFIA) contract since February
2023. The table below shows the number of referrals, and the total spend per financial year (1 July to 30
June) to DriveMed NZ under the TFIA contract, as of 25 February 2025.
TFIA
FY 2022/2023
FY2023/2024
FY2024/2025 YTD*
Referrals
6
44
45
Spend
$5,500
$70,733
$63,633
*1 July 2024 to 25 Feb 2025
2. Please provide a copy of the contract that ACC has with DriveMed NZ as a vendor to ACC.
The TFIA contract contains provisions for both standard and specialised assessments. DriveMed NZ
hold the contract for standard Assessments only. A copy of the TFIA contract and the Operational
Guidelines is available on the ACC Website at:
•
www.acc.co.nz/assets/contracts/tfia-service-schedule.pdf
•
www.acc.co.nz/assets/contracts/tia-hstas-og.pdf.
As an ACC contract holder, DriveMed NZ is required to adhere to ACC’s Standard Terms and
Conditions, which can be viewed online at:
•
www.acc.co.nz/assets/contracts/health-contract-terms-conditions.pdf.
ACC’s Contract for Services, Standard Terms and Conditions, clause 8, lists the applicable laws and
regulations which all contract holders must comply with.
GOV-038792 Page 1 of 4
3. Please provide additional contracts or information that ACC has with DriveMed NZ that allows
DriveMed NZ to sub-contract to external non contracted occupational service providers that are
non ACC contracted vendors.
ACC does not hold any additional contracts or information as described in your question. Therefore, we
are refusing this part of your request under section 18(e) of the Act as the requested information does
not exist.
4. Does DriveMed NZ require ACC consent to subcontract its services to other occupational therapist
companies who are not ACC vendors.
Clause 8.1 of the TFIA Service Schedule states that suppliers holding the contract, are required to seek
approval from ACC for every Service Provider who conducts assessments. ACC does not specifically
require suppliers to report on whether their service providers are employees or subcontractors. ACC’s
Standard Terms and Conditions clauses 8.6 – 8.11 refers to the supplier’s obligations to ensure their
service providers have the necessary skills, experience, training, and resources to deliver the services,
and comply with all relevant standards and obligations under the contract.
5. Please provide a list of sub contractors that have provided Occupational services and reports to
DriveMed NZ when DriveMeD NZ has been approached by ACC to undertake a service or report.
As noted in our response to question 4 above, Suppliers holding the TFIA contract are required to seek
ACC’s approval for service providers who conduct assessments under the contract. DriveMed NZ
sought approval from ACC for Jazmine O’Kane to undertake TFIA standard assessments.
6. Please provide the number of referrals for each year for the last 5 years from ACC to DriveMed NZ a
Christchurch based Occupational therapist service contracted to ACC.
As advised above, DriveMed NZ has held the TFIA contract with ACC since December 2022. The
number of referrals to DriveMed NZ re provided under question 1.
7. If DriveMed was to subcontract to another OT entity that is not an ACC vendor (Driver Solutions),
does ACC require knowledge of such actions. If so, please provide any or all documentation, any
other form of knowledge if ACC are aware or not aware of such subcontracting by these 2 entities.
As advised in our response to question four, suppliers who hold the contract with ACC must seek
approval for providers (subcontractors or employees) who conduct assessments. Driver Solutions is
not an approved provider under DriverMed NZ’s TFIA contract.
8. Does ACC keep records of its vendors to ACC if this vendor subcontracts to a non vendor entity. If
so please, provide any and all documents, and or contracts, that ACC holds with DriveMed NZ an
ACC vendor and with Driver Solutions a Dunedin based OT entity that is a non ACC vendor.
Clause 8 of the TFIA Service Schedule states that ACC must hold a record of approvals sought by the
contract holders for its service providers.
GOV-038792 Page 2 of 4
The record includes the service providers’ qualifications and credentials to ensure suppliers are
adhering to relevant contracts and ACC’s Standard Terms and Conditions. All TFIA service providers
must be qualified and registered occupational therapists.
ACC does not hold any contracts with Driver Solutions. As such, we are refusing this part of your
request under 18(e), as the requested information does not exist.
9. Does a non vendor to ACC who is under subcontract with an ACC vendor have to comply with all
guidelines stipulated by ACC including but not limited to, "have your privacy
respected", "communicate effectively", provide with truthful responses, not make misleading
statements, and any other code matters that may apply.
Service Providers must adhere to relevant legislation and regulations. We refer to the Supplier’s
obligations listed in the Standard Terms and Conditions, on page 10, clause 8, which lists the following
laws and regulations:
• Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 200
• Privacy Act 2020 and Health Information Privacy Code 2020
• Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003
• Accident Compensation Act 2001
• Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
• Children’s Act 2014
Clause 8.3 of the Standard Terms and Conditions specifically advises that Services must comply with
the Code of Claimant’s Rights which is available online
at www.acc.co.nz/assets/im-
injured/730eea8693/claimant-rights.pdf.
It is the contract holder’s responsibility to ensure their service providers who undertake assessments
adhere to relevant legislation and regulations.
10. How does ACC ensure non vendors who are subcontracted by an ACC vendor comply with ACC's
best practice guidelines and requirements
ACC holds a contract with the supplier, which requires the supplier, including their service providers, to
fulfil all obligations under the contract, this includes relevant laws and regulations, professional
standards, etc.as set out in the TFIA contract and Service Schedule.
Clause 12 on page 18 of the TFIA contract sets out how ACC measures a supplier’s performance.
Clause 13 outlines the supplier’s reporting requirements which includes, providing ACC with reports
that meet ACC’s quality standards. The contract provides the set standards, compliance, regular
monitoring and enforcement actions if and when required.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public
ACC may publish a copy of this response on ACC’s website. All requester data, including your name
and contact details, will be removed prior to release. The released response will be made available
www.acc.co.nz/resources/#/category/12. Please also view this page about making requests and our
published response
s https://www.acc.co.nz/contact/official-information-act-requests.
GOV-038792 Page 3 of 4
If you have any questions 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 a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz. Ngā mihi
Thomas Jackson
Manager Official Information Act Services Government Engagement
GOV-038792 Page 4 of 4
