The ACC only has one doctor for all of
Northland based in Pahia to assess clients for the
independence allowance and is spending thousands of dollars
shipping patients to Auckland the Alliance said.
The
independence allowance covers additional costs faced as a
result of an injury and can be up to $61 a week. Doctors
are certified by the ACC to assess independence allowances
and need no specialist qualifications to do so.
'The
Doctor servicing all of Northland is fully booked until
January next year. Patients are being sent to Auckland
instead of ACC finding a doctor locally to do the work,'
Alliance ACC spokesperson Laila Harré said.
'The ACC is
paying at least $250 to get people to Auckland or Pahia,
when they could get a doctor to assess people in Whangarei
costing them next to nothing.
'Public transport to Pahia
is appalling. Patients have to wait for hours to get buses
before and after their appointments.
'Patients have to pay
their transport costs themselves and will eventually be
reimbursed by ACC. For someone on a tight budget this is
especially hard.
'ACC has created this situation by
failing to approve enough Doctors in accessible
areas.
'This failure is costing the ACC thousands in
transport costs and is stressing patients who need
rehabilitation not aggravation,' Laila Harré
said.
ENDS
Visit http://www.alliance.org.nz for more
information about the Alliance
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