Victims of sexual abuse and therapists say a new report backs up their claims that the Accident Compensation Corpration is still too slow in dealing with claims and that many people simply give up.
The Green MP, Kevin Hague, says a new report on the Accident Compensation Corporation is more proof the corporation's been more focussed on getting claimants off its books than on providing help.
An independent report of ACC's handling of sensitive claims has found the corporation has made little progress on implementing recommendations made by an independent panel in 2010.© 2012 APN Holdings NZ Ltd
The sensitive claims unit takes claims from victims of sexual or violent assault. The recommendations cover a wide range of actions, including improving communication with clients, working closely with the sector representatives to refine ACC's systems and processes, and examining ways to ensure treatment and assessment is carried out by a well-qualified, fit-for-purpose workforce.
The report - compiled for ACC's board by Dr Barbara Disley - found the corporation made progress with one recommendation made in 2010, but only average progress in six recommendations and minimal or "limited" progress in another six.
Poor progress was made on establishing a working party involving professional groups to examine the credentials of professionals treating and assessing victims of sexual abuse or violent assault.
The independent report did not mention the privacy breach where ACC last year emailed the details of 6748 clients - including nearly 250 claimants who were victims of sexual or violent assault - to Bronwyn Pullar. The corporation sent a four-page letter of apology to the sensitive claims clients, offering them $250 compensation for the breach.
The report found ACC's most far reaching change had been the introduction of 16 immediate counselling support sessions for sensitive claimants.
The report found a striking number of claims made to ACC this year were put on hold - to date 1026 claims were on hold, 250 had been declined and only 49 had been accepted.
Dr Disley sought in-depth input from ACC to compile the report, which was also informed by an online survey of clients and service providers, interviews with service providers and representatives of professional bodies, feedback from Child Youth and Family.
"There's still work to be done in some areas, and my report contains recommendation on how ACC can continue to make progress towards fully implementing the original recommendations made by the independent review panel."
ACC needs to urgently review its assessment process for adults who were abused as children and left with mental health problems, an independent report says.© 2012 Fairfax New Zealand Ltd
Dr Barbara Disley today released the second monitoring report of ACC's progress on the development and implementation of 14 recommendations given by a 2010 Sensitive Claims Clinical Pathway review. In the report, she said there were concerns within the sector over the processes around independent assessment for cover.
"While there have been improvements including the ability of the support counsellor to attend these assessments with the client, the narrow range of tools applied to determining mental injury and the limited number of professional groups who can administer these tools leads to bottle necks and delays in cover determination," she said.
"ACC needs to urgently review the assessment processes within the adult claims coverage context and broaden the range of tools and professional groups capable of undertaking these assessments."
Disley said it was particularly important for adult survivors of child sexual abuse as the needs of the group were often complex and required specialist knowledge.
"A specific focus on the needs of this group needs to be now initiated," she said.
The number of clients that moved through the cover assessment process was low, falling dramatically since 2007 to 2011 from 5919 to 235 respectively. It could be that the recently-implemented 16 support sessions available were sufficient for some clients, but ACC needed to ensure that the process of cover determination itself was not to blame.
Disley also said Maori must be given priority as progress in that area has been slower than expected. The process for children and adolescents in relation to accessing immediate support and moving through the cover process had improved however.
Overall, Disley found ACC had made "excellent progress" implementing one recommendation and good progress on another six.
"In the 18 months since the initial, independent review, ACC has made significant changes to the way it deals with sensitive claims, and these changes have seen considerable progress achieved in many years."
However, she said: "There's still work to be done in some areas."
The 2010 review, requested by then ACC Minister Nick Smith, made 14 recommendations, including that a process be established to independently monitor the development and implementation of the review's suggestions.
The 18 month follow up monitoring report of the ACC Sensitive Claims Clinical Pathway shows clearly that only three of the 14 recommendations have been fully met.http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1207/S00197/acc-sensitive-claims-monitoring-report-a-fail-mark.htm
“I consider this a fail mark” says Kyle MacDonald. “This report demonstrates how victims of sexual abuse and assault are still struggling to access the support they are entitled to as a direct result of the National Government led cost cutting drive in 2009. The fallout of this ill-informed policy is still being felt.”
The report details some areas of improvement, but strong concerns remain around the use of external ACC appointed assessors, implemented in 2009 due to the ACC’s “reinterpretation” of the legislation. Also of concern is the manner in which the Sensitive Claims pathway often fails survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Detailed in the report is the massive decrease from 40% of claims accepted versus claims lodged in 2009; down to 4% in 2011 and 2012. “This is a horrifying number.” says MacDonald. “This is clear evidence that the ACC’s policies are still failing New Zealanders and survivors of sexual abuse. And it’s worth remembering this report pre-dates the Privacy Breach of over 6000 ACC claimants, and subsequent events.”
