Back Pain Experts Launch Pilot to Help Kiwis Get Faster Access to the Care They Need
Active+, one of New Zealand’s largest multi-disciplinary rehab suppliers has launched Go Get Active! in the Waikato. This is a ground-breaking new service for Kiwis struggling with low back pain, that need more input
than the usual management from primary care. This service is part of the ACC Escalated Care Pathway pilot programs that
have recently launched in New Zealand regions.
Fully funded by and in partnership with ACC, Go Get Active has been designed to help patients get faster access to the care that they need, when they need it. Treatment can
involve input from an experienced group of health professionals, including spine specialists/surgeons, physiotherapists,
psychologists, dieticians and traditional Maori healers, among many others.
Patients accepted into Go Get Active will also have a key contact person working alongside them throughout their treatment journey, to ensure everything is
on track and that they understand their options.
“Low back pain is common in New Zealand, and for most people, settles down fairly quickly. However, some might not
receive the best advice, or aren’t able to access any advice or treatment at all, and in some cases the pain can
persist,” explains Active+ Director, Andy Schmidt. “When it’s on-going, it can be debilitating – physically,
psychologically, and socially. It impacts on a person’s ability to work, as well as their time with friends and family.”
“Go Get Active is a new community-based back pain treatment approach that will enable patients that need it to benefit from the
expertise of a multi-disciplinary team,” adds Andy. “As well as identifying the best treatment options for each
individual, the programme should help people gain a better understanding of their back pain and equip them with the
skills they need to make positive changes going forward.”
According to Active+, Go Get Active will help more Kiwis get to grips with their back pain, reducing pain-related distress and improving their quality of
life. If the pilot is successful, Active+ hopes to roll Go Get Active out across other regions of New Zealand.
To apply, patients need to live in the Waikato, be 18+ years old and have had pain for more than 3 weeks but less than a
year. Their low back pain must also have been caused by an injury. For those eligible, the program will be fully funded
by ACC with no surcharges.
Those interested in applying for Go Get Active can phone 0800 GOGETACTIVE. A member of the Active+ team will ask some confidential questions. They will then either invite the patient in to one
of their locations throughout Waikato for an assessment, or – if they are not eligible – point them in the right
direction or advise them on the best practice treatment for their low back pain.
Active+ is a 100% Kiwi owned physiotherapy and rehabilitation network that was founded by Gill Webb in 1990. Since then,
it is estimated that Active+ has helped more than 300,000 New Zealanders with injury prevention, rehabilitation and
wellness.
Active+ has evolved since the early days. It is has led the market by not only offering physiotherapy, but the full
range of rehabilitation services such as occupational therapists, psychologists and medical doctors.
There is now a growing network of over 20 clinics across the North and South Islands that deliver physiotherapy and
multidisciplinary rehabilitation services. 650 clinicians deliver services to New Zealanders every day in their
workplaces, in their homes and from the practices.