Physiotherapy continues for injured New Zealanders

Physiotherapy continues for injured New Zealanders

Physiotherapists continue to treat injured New Zealanders and will still be doing so after November, stated Jonathan Warren, President of the New Zealand Society of Physiotherapists.

"Due to recent publicity we just want to reassure the public, who have been worried - mistakenly thinking that there's no physiotherapy available through ACC any more," Mr Warren said.

Mr Warren clarified that from the middle of November, physiotherapy in clinics which used to provide services at no charge to ACC patients will no longer be free. These clinics will be forced to charge patients a fee (a co-payment).

At the moment most clinics have a contract with ACC to provide physiotherapy services without directly charging any injured patients. This contract is ending on November 15th, and from that time onwards ACC will pay physiotherapists less for each patient treated in those clinics. In order to keep their businesses going, clinics will need to charge patients a fee to cover the cost of the service.

"Until we know how much ACC will pay physios, our members can't decide on the level of co-payment they will charge patients," Mr Warren said. "We're talking with ACC about how to get rid of any barriers that might stop people from accessing physiotherapy after an accident - for example, not being able to afford the co-payment."

One thing Mr Warren said the public can be sure of is, "Physiotherapists will continue to provide high quality services to all patients." He said that clinics will advertise their fees as soon as possible.

ENDS

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