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