A brain-injury support group says ACC's one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work for people with concussion. Photo: Army.mil
People with concussion are struggling to find the right support from ACC following a diagnosis, a brain injury support group says.
Headway has campaigned for years to change the way ACC manages people with Traumatic Brain Injuries.
Chief executive Stacey Mowbray told RNZ's Afternoons it was great New Zealand had a national insurance scheme like ACC, but said the one-size-fits-all approach did not work.
"We're really worried that the system of ACC really expects someone with a concussion - so they're struggling to think straight, they're really having memory issues - to navigate the same processes as someone with a twisted ankle," she said.
"We just don't think that the system is set up to deal with the complexities that someone faces with a concussion.
"Sitting on the phone on hold for an hour when I've got a concussion and there's music playing really loudly, that is going to be really challenging for someone with a concussion."
By contrast, some banks allowed customers to opt out of listening to music, while they were on hold, Mowbray said.
ACC's acting head of client recovery, Matthew Goodger, pushed back on Mowbray's comments however, and said ACC did not have a one-size-fits-all approach.
"Our systems and teams are designed to support a wide range of injuries, including concussion, within this broader context. All claims are assessed and handled on a case-by-case basis.
"The way we support people, and which team supports them, depends on their needs."
Mowbray called for more understanding from ACC, and more education and training for staff.
"We think the real gap is better understanding from the staff and just thinking about some of those simple processes."
People trying to access ACC services were not always told what support they may be entitled to, she said.
"Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to always happen and, again, I think it might come back to education and understanding.
"You don't know what you don't know, so I don't know what entitlements there are for me with ACC, and unless ACC consistently discloses these entitlements, it makes it so difficult for someone to actually say, 'Look, I'm having real visual issues, my vision is foggy, I'm struggling to see distances, it's not safe for me to drive'.
"We would like to see ACC frontfooting that and saying, 'We will cover transport to your appointments, we'll cover transport'... just a little bit more openness around disclosing entitlements."
While staff may be trying their best, they may not know, for example, visual issues and feeling dizzy were common with concussion, and driving may be a problem, Mowbray said.
Goodger said ACC staff dealing directly with clients completed an eLearning module during induction which taught them about TBIs - it covered how the different types of brain injury affect different functions in clients' brains and the tasks they do in everyday life.
There was also a facilitated training session that expanded on the initial training, he said.
"If someone has a severe TBI they will have a lead provider who can also help them navigate the health system, which includes ACC. We work closely with lead providers.
"Clients can also appoint someone else, such as friend or family member, who can communicate with us on their behalf about their claim."
Mowbray suggested anyone having trouble with the process should contact Wayfinders, a free service that helped the public deal with ACC, Goodger agreed with this.
It was not all bad news, with a new brain-injury screening tool helping general practitioners develop care plans for people with concussion.
"We are the best place in the world to have a concussion, I think, because we've got these world-leading researchers," Mowbray said.
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