A Wellington GP is calling on ACC to recruit more sensitive claims counsellors, saying abuse survivors encounter long delays before their first therapy session.
ACC’s sensitive claims process has improved over the years, but survivors still face barriers because of a lack of counsellors, Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care deputy chair and GP Cathy Stephenson says.
Ease of access is important for people with a physical and/or mental injury suffered as a result of sexual abuse or sexual assault. Even the smallest inconvenience can discourage them from seeking help, Dr Stephenson says.
For example, when assisting one of her clients to find a counsellor in a different city, she called nine counsellors from a list of 10, and all were fully booked. Left to make these calls on their own, the client wouldn’t persist after being told “no” several times, she says.
Another problem is counsellors who can take new clients will not accept victims of sexual abuse, Dr Stephenson says. This is “fair enough” as they shouldn’t be overwhelmed by too many such cases.
ACC sexual violence strategy manager Emma Powell says the system is still evolving after multiple makeovers in the past several years.
“We couldn’t have changes overnight … relationships had to be repaired within the sector to a point where we could all be working collaboratively,” Ms Powell told New Zealand Doctor.
“We want people to come forward and we want people to access services … this is not one of those [services] where we try to reduce people [coming] forward”, she says.
Changes to ACC’s sensitive claims pathway began five years ago after an independent review. ACC has been tinkering with this pathway since then, with recent changes going live at the end of last year.
More than 118 individuals and organisations offer sensitive claims services under the new contract, with approximately 800 providers including counsellors, Ms Powell says.
Survivors no longer have to get approval from ACC to see a counsellor, she says. But if more therapy sessions are needed, an individual assessment needs to be completed. If approved, the client can receive other types of treatment, including psychiatric and psychological help as well as financial compensation if they were earning at the time of the abuse. If a client is declined, in that the client’s mental issues are not caused by the sexual abuse incident, the client is redirected to other pathways which can help them.
“ACC doesn’t just say sorry, that’s it … it’s a very different system these days.”
Survivors who do not reach the assessment stage because they volunteered not to continue with any more counsellor sessions are also marked as “declined” in ACC’s books.
In the financial year 2013/14, 5118 sensitive claims were lodged and 3595 (70 per cent) marked as “declined”.This is a jump from 4828 claims lodged in 2012/13 (65 per cent were “declined”) and 4430 claims lodged in 2011/12 (63 per cent were “declined”).
Asked whether this conflated use of “declined” hides the real number of claims turned down by ACC, Ms Powell says survivors receive a personalised service even with this “accept or decline” system. Real numbers are revealed after audits are completed.
In essence
Wellington GP Cathy Stephenson says ACC needs to enlist more sensitive claims counsellors because survivors encounter long delays before their first therapy appointment.
ACC says the system has been improving in the past five years and dramatic changes cannot happen overnight.
Survivors don’t need approval from ACC to have an appointment with a counsellor, but must go through an assessment if more sessions or treatment are required.
© 2015 MIMS (NZ) Ltd
http://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/in-print/2015/february-2015/18-february-2015/therapy-out-of-reach-for-many-survivors-of-sexual-abuse.aspx
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