National MP calls for inquiry into ACC allegations

Dr Paul Hutchison - National ACC Spokesperson

ACC Minister Ruth Dyson must make an urgent inquiry into allegations that ACC case managers are pressuring medical assessors to bias their rulings in order to get people off the scheme, says Dr Paul Hutchison, National’s ACC Spokesman.

“The Minister has to do more than offer ‘no comment’ about these serious allegations.

“That highly respected assessors such as Professor Des Gorman have ‘blacklisted’ case managers, and that Dr Harvey Williams has described the situation as a ‘bad culture’ is evidence enough that something is fundamentally wrong with ACC.

“To read that ACC Chief Executive Gary Wilson – who is currently under fire for alleged nepotism – suggest that he was ‘unaware of any inappropriate behaviour by case managers’ is hard to believe.

“ACC has a very difficult task, because there is a long history of people abusing the system, but for individuals who have genuine problems it is grossly unfair if best practice evidence is not used to assess their condition.

“There has been a call for setting up an independent body, as well as ensuring that assessors are not entirely dependent on ACC for income.”

Dr Hutchison is calling for ACC Minister Ruth Dyson to act swiftly with a transparent inquiry into allegations of corruption within ACC.

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