29 February 2012
New ACC vocational rehabilitation service goes live
A new and comprehensive ACC vocational rehabilitation service went live today (editor: Thursday 1 March 2012), bringing with it a clear focus on early rehabilitation for people to return to work following injury.
The service, developed in close association with the vocational rehabilitation sector, covers clients’ full spectrum of
needs, from initial rehabilitation to getting a new job.
It offers four related service areas delivered by rehabilitation professionals: Standalone Workplace Assessment (which
reviews the client’s workplace to identify how they did their job prior to their injury); Stay at Work service (which
supports people to return to their job); Work Readiness service (which rehabilitates people ready for new types of
employment); Job Placement (which helps people find new jobs).
A hallmark of the service is speed of delivery. A wealth of acknowledged international research shows the quicker people
can return to the workforce, the better off they are medically, socially and financially following injury.
Accurate and fast assessment of their condition and needs is vital, and clients will be managed according to the
complexity of their circumstances. Both the Stay at Work and Work Readiness services provide service packages that
reflect and meet different levels of need.
Services will be provided by nine regional and national vocational rehabilitation suppliers, who will work closely with
ACC. They will be responsible, through their staff and sub-contractors, for providing day-to-day services throughout the
country Their performance will be monitored, and they are required to meet key performance indicators designed to
maintain the momentum and quality of service delivery.
The result is a vocational rehabilitation service on which clients, their GPs and employers, and ACC can rely on for
fast, accurate and appropriate service.
This means that, over time, GPs should be able to minimise the duration for which they certify patients off work or fit
for selected duties because they can be confident that their patients will get the service they need to return to work
safely and quickly.
More information on ACC’s vocational rehabilitation services can be found here under vocational rehabilitation (from 1 March 2012).
Vocational rehabilitation services – at a glance
ServiceDetailsStand Alone Workplace AssessmentAssesses the client’s pre-injury workplace to inform decisions on their work options. Stay ay Work Supports clients returning to their original job;
four levels of packaged services, reflecting ascending levels of complexity. Work ReadinessSupports clients not expected to return to their pre-injury job; three levels of packaged services reflecting ascending
levels of complexity. Job PlacementComprises two services – Job Placement for people not vocationally independent who are targeting occupations in which
they have skills; Job Search for vocationally independent people looking for work.
Regional vocational rehabilitation service suppliers - where they are
ACC regionSupplierWider Auckland RegionAdvanced Personnel Management (all services)
Active Physio (all services)
VOCHEALTH NZ (All services)
Quality Rehab Services (all services except Job Placement)Waikato & Bay of PlentyAdvanced Personnel Management (all services)
Active Physio (all services)
VOCHEALTH NZ (all services)
Quality Rehab Services (all services except Job Placement)Gisborne, Hawkes Bay & WairarapaAdvanced Personnel Management (all services)
VOCHEALTH NZ (all services)
Eastern Rehab (all services)Taranaki, Whanganui & ManawatuAdvanced Personnel Management (all services)
VOCHEALTH NZ (all services)
Active Physio (all services)Wider Wellington RegionAdvanced Personnel Management (all services)
VOCHEALTH NZ (all services)
Habit (all services except Job Placement)
EPIC Employment Services (Job Placement only)Nelson, Marlborough & West CoastAdvanced Personnel Management (all services)
Southern Rehab Institute (all services)
WorkRehab Ltd (all services)CanterburyAdvanced Personnel Management (all services)
Southern Rehab Institute (all services)
WorkRehab Ltd (all services)
EPIC Employment Services (Job Placement only)Otago & SouthlandAdvanced Personnel Management (all services)
Southern Rehab Institute (all services)
WorkRehab Ltd (all services)a
ENDS