New priorities for ACC

In the clouds hanging over ACC it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that the corporation was in a dire financial situation just a few years ago.

Thanks to hard work by the board and management that is no longer the case but there is no doubt there are other problems facing the corporation, particularly in its dealing with claimants.

ACC Minister Judith Collins aims to solve  those problems with new priorities:

“New Zealanders rightfully expect to be able to trust in ACC and its integrity and for ACC to ensure entitlements are delivered transparently and fairly to those who need them.

“Our new priorities set out key initiatives, measures and targets to ensure ACC meets the highest standards of best practice and service for its clients, and achieves outcomes that are consistent with the spirit of ACC’s pioneering objectives.

“A critical priority for ACC is to promote and rebuild the trust and confidence of Kiwis in the scheme it manages on their behalf. Privacy and information security is also a priority and I expect ACC to improve its practices and culture in this area.

“For claimants with a genuine need and a right to support, ACC must follow a fair process for assessing their eligibility and ensuring they receive fair entitlements.

“I expect ACC to be sensitive, responsive, and provide an excellent and timely service that reflects best practice and to minimise the number of disputes proceeding to review and litigation.

“ACC must achieve outcomes that are consistent with the letter and spirit of the legislation, while still preserving public trust and confidence,” says Ms Collins.

Among the Government’s new priorities for ACC are for the Corporation to:

• improve public trust and confidence
• improve management and security of private information
• maintain a focus on levy stability and financial sustainability
• provide high quality services for clients, and
• ensure early resolution of disputes.

The theory of a no-fault ACC system is the envy of many other countries.

The new priorities ought to ensure the corporation’s practices restore the trust that has been lost and that it does the job it is supposed to do, fairly and in a timely manner.