ACC sensitive claims: Core concerns yet to be addressed

A press release by Kyle Macdonald

ACC has released today the six-month report by Dr. Barbara Disley, in follow up to the Independent review of the Sensitive Claims “new pathway” introduced in August 2009.
The report highlights a number of areas where progress has been made, however the key areas that initially led to the protests by the wider sector and professional groups are yet to be addressed: namely the ongoing requirements of an external assessment to access ongoing treatment and the need for claimants to be diagnosed under the DSM-IV.
From the report released today: “SCAG [Sensitive Claims Advisory Group] members are concerned that while access to immeadiate support has been addressed, there has been no change to the clinical pathway processes for clients returning to counselling or reactivating a claim.”
“These issues remain of deep concern, and it’s clear from counsellors and therapists working in the sector that we still struggle to navigate a system that is, at its heart, deeply flawed,” says Kyle MacDonald. “The initial outrage about victims of a crime being required to be diagnosed with a mental illness is yet to be addressed.”
“What remains encouraging is ACC’s ongoing commitment to work with the sector to resolve these issues, and I remain hopeful that we can find a way to re-instate a system that is safe for sexual abuse survivors and restores the sectors faith in ACC.”

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1105/S00149/acc-sensitive-claims-core-concerns-yet-to-be-addressed.htm

Encouraging progress on ACC sensitive claims

A press release from ACC

An independent report for the ACC Board has found that ACC is making good progress implementing changes to its management of sensitive claims.
Prepared by Dr Barbara Disley, who chaired a review of ACC sensitive claims in 2010, the report finds that ACC has made progress in a number of important areas and those are already delivering improved services to clients.
ACC General Manager Denise Cosgrove said that, as a starting point, ACC had focused on four priority areas, which were:
• ensuring immediate access to support for clients, through the 16 hours of support sessions
• improving working relationships with people working in the sexual abuse field
• developing specific services for children and Maori clients
• putting in place a comprehensive work plan for the broader changes that were agreed.
“We’ve worked really hard to implement changes that ensure our clients have fast access to effective support. These changes have also helped us strengthen positive relationships with clients and providers, and that will hold us in good stead for the future”, Ms Cosgrove said.
Report author, Dr Barbara Disley, said she was “satisfied with progress to date and had encouraged ACC to continue working closely with clients and providers to ensure the end-to-end process meets client needs, is timely and of a high quality. I will be reviewing progress again in 12 months and would expect to see all of the initial review’s recommendations being implemented by that time”.
The report notes that there has not yet been enough time to implement all of the review panel’s recommendations, but that ACC has done a good job prioritising the most important tasks first.
“The report does find some areas that still require attention and urges ACC to continue working with sector groups on those. We intend to do so”, Ms Cosgrove said.
A copy of the report can be found at acc.co.nz/news.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1105/S00427/encouraging-progress-on-acc-sensitive-claims.htm

Questions for written answer

3549 (2011). Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for ACC: Further to the Minister's response to Written Question 02761 (2011) what date does the Minister expect the six monthly review conducted by Dr Barbara Disley, of ACC's progress in implementing recomendations from the 2010 review of the sensitive claims clinical pathway to be completed?
Hon Dr Nick Smith (Minister for ACC) replied: Dr Disley’s six month review has been completed. This was a review conducted for the ACC Board and the report on the review will be presented to the Board shortly.
http://202.68.89.83/en-NZ/PB/Business/QWA/a/7/1/QWA_03549_2011-3549-2011-Carmel-Sepuloni-to-the-Minister-for-ACC.htm

3550 (2011). Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for ACC: Further to the Minister's response to Written Question 02761 (2011) will the six monthly review conducted by Dr Barbara Disley, of ACC's progress in implementing recomendations from the 2010 review of the sensitive claims clinical pathway be available to the public upon completion; if so when?
Hon Dr Nick Smith (Minister for ACC) replied: Dr Disley’s six month report will be considered by the ACC Board, who will determine its public release.
http://202.68.89.83/en-NZ/PB/Business/QWA/a/f/8/QWA_03550_2011-3550-2011-Carmel-Sepuloni-to-the-Minister-for-ACC.htm

3551 (2011). Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for ACC: Further to the Minister's response to Written Question 02761 (2011) how much is the six monthly review conducted by Dr Barbara Disley, of ACC's progress in implementing recomendations from the 2010 review of the sensitive claims clinical pathway going to cost in dollar terms?
Hon Dr Nick Smith (Minister for ACC) replied: Dr Disley has yet to invoice ACC for her work. However, the estimated cost is $8,625 (incl GST).
http://202.68.89.83/en-NZ/PB/Business/QWA/f/c/4/QWA_03551_2011-3551-2011-Carmel-Sepuloni-to-the-Minister-for-ACC.htm

3569 (2011). Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for ACC: What was the process undertaken by ACC when investigating Dr Peter Jansen's alleged use of personal information of ACC claimant known as Jax?
Hon Dr Nick Smith (Minister for ACC) replied: ACC’s Chief Executive sought a report on the allegations of alleged use of personal information and an investigation was undertaken by ACC’s Head of Assurance Services.
http://202.68.89.83/en-NZ/PB/Business/QWA/1/0/d/QWA_03569_2011-3569-2011-Carmel-Sepuloni-to-the-Minister-for-ACC.htm

3570 (2011). Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for ACC: Has the report referred to in the Radio NZ article dated 7th May 2011 titled "ACC doctor drops court action against abuse victim" been made public; if so where can it be accessed; if not, why not?
Hon Dr Nick Smith (Minister for ACC) replied: ACC will not be publicly releasing the report completed by its Head of Assurance Services, as to do so would disclose the methodology used to determine whether there had been any inappropriate access. If the methodology used was widely disclosed this would prejudice ACC’s ability to detect offences. ACC has been able to confirm that the particular staff member has not accessed the client’s personal information through ACC system applications or accessed any physical claim files.
http://202.68.89.83/en-NZ/PB/Business/QWA/d/0/e/QWA_03570_2011-3570-2011-Carmel-Sepuloni-to-the-Minister-for-ACC.htm

3592 (2011). Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for ACC: Has the Minister recieved any preliminary written or oral reports by the Special Claims Advisory Group regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the Sensitive Claims Pathway Review Panel in September last year?
Hon Dr Nick Smith (Minister for ACC) replied: I received no preliminary written or oral reports by the Sensitive Claims Advisory Group (SCAG) regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the Sensitive Claims Pathway Review Panel in September last year.
http://202.68.89.83/en-NZ/PB/Business/QWA/e/b/4/QWA_03592_2011-3592-2011-Carmel-Sepuloni-to-the-Minister-for-ACC.htm

3593 (2011). Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for ACC: How long, on average, does it currently take for those lodging new sensitive claims to begin recieving their entitlement of 16 hours with a counsellor after their claim has been lodged with ACC?
Hon Dr Nick Smith (Minister for ACC) replied: 46% of new sensitive claims lodged between 16 August 2010 (introduction of support sessions) and 7 May 2011 accessed their first support session prior to lodging a claim with ACC. Of the remaining 54%, it takes18 days, on average, between lodgement of a new sensitive claim and the first support session. These averages are accurate as at 16 May 2011. They have been calculated with information from provider invoices and there may be invoices for support sessions, already undertaken, that are yet to be submitted to ACC.
http://202.68.89.83/en-NZ/PB/Business/QWA/1/3/5/QWA_03593_2011-3593-2011-Carmel-Sepuloni-to-the-Minister-for-ACC.htm

3595 (2011). Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for ACC: How many of individuals with sensitive claims declined by ACC between 27 of October 2009 and 16 August 2010 have commenced recieving their entitlement of access to 16 hours of support sessions with an ACC registered sexual abuse counsellor?
Hon Dr Nick Smith (Minister for ACC) replied: ACC wrote to all 1688 individuals whose claims were declined between 27 October 2009 and 16 August 2010 offering 16 hours of support sessions with an ACC registered counsellor. 201 have to date taken up this offer.
http://202.68.89.83/en-NZ/PB/Business/QWA/4/f/b/QWA_03595_2011-3595-2011-Carmel-Sepuloni-to-the-Minister-for-ACC.htm

ACC doctor drops court action against abuse victim

A news report from Radio New Zealand

A senior clinician for the Accident Compensation Corporation has dropped legal action for defamation against a sexual abuse victim.
Dr Peter Jansen had been suing the ACC claimant - known as Jax - for $250,000 over personal comments she made about him on a blog site.
An ACC investigation has found that Dr Jansen never accessed any personal information held by it regarding the woman. Peter Jansen says now an allegation of improper use of ACC information has been shown to be wrong, he's withdrawing legal action.
He says while he would prefer the woman to withdraw the statements on her blog and apologise, as a clinician he appreciates her recovery must take precedence.
The woman says Dr Jansen never had a case and she won't be apologising nor removing the comments.
ACC Minister Nick Smith says he welcomes the fact that the matter has been resolved.

© 2011 Radio New Zealand

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/74627/acc-doctor-drops-court-action-against-abuse-victim

ACC doctor backs down on legal action

An article from the New Zealand Herald by Claire Trevett

Senior ACC clinician Dr Peter Jansen has dropped his legal action for defamation against an ACC sexual abuse claimant.
Dr Jansen, the lead clinician in the sensitive claims unit, was suing the woman - known as Jax - over a blog posting she wrote in November last year. The woman was an ACC claimant for treatment for depression following sexual abuse.
In a statement this afternoon, Dr Jansen said although he continued to regard her blog post as defamatory, he had instructed his lawyers to withdraw the legal action.
"While I continue to regard the statements made on her blog as defamatory, and would obviously prefer that she withdrew them and apologised, as a clinician I appreciate that her recovery must take precedence at this time."
Dr Jansen said he had not and could not have known she was an ACC claimant at the time, because the blog post was written under a pseudonym.
In a follow up blog post about the legal action, Jax had also questioned whether Dr Jansen had accessed her private file to obtain her address. Dr Jansen said yesterday ACC had investigated that allegation at his request and concluded he had never accessed any personal information it held about the woman.
Labour MP Carmel Sepuloni had raised Dr Jansen's legal action in Parliament.

Copyright 2011 APN Holdings NZ Ltd

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10723869