ACC Sensitive Claims: Core concerns yet to be addressed

ACC Sensitive Claims: Core concerns yet to be addressed

By Kyle MacDonald: Psychotherapist.

ACC has released today the six-month report by Dr. Barbara Disley, in follow up to the Independent review of the Sensitive Claims “new pathway” introduced in August 2009.

The report highlights a number of areas where progress has been made, however the key areas that initially led to the protests by the wider sector and professional groups are yet to be addressed: namely the ongoing requirements of an external assessment to access ongoing treatment and the need for claimants to be diagnosed under the DSM-IV.

From the report released today: “SCAG [Sensitive Claims Advisory Group] members are concerned that while access to immeadiate support has been addressed, there has been no change to the Clinical pathway processes for clients returning to counselling or reactivating a claim.”

“These issues remain of deep concern, and it’s clear from counsellors and therapists working in the sector that we still struggle to navigate a system that is, at its heart, deeply flawed” says Kyle MacDonald. “The initial outrage about victims of a crime being required to be diagnosed with a mental illness is yet to be addressed.”

“What remains encouraging is ACC’s ongoing commitment to work with the sector to resolve these issues, and I remain hopeful that we can find a way to re-instate a system that is safe for sexual abuse survivors and restores the sectors faith in ACC.”