Changes to the requirements in the Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VOC) contract

Kia ora korua

I am sharing these communications with you for you interest.

Please feel free to contact me for any further questions.

ACC wanted to let you know we are making changes to the qualification and professional membership requirements in the Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VOC) contract. These changes will take effect on 01 May 2024.

These changes could impact the relevant professional bodies and tertiary institutions, so we wanted to let you know at the same time as our contracted suppliers of this service.

What is changing?

In a variation to the Vocational Rehabilitation Services contract to take effect on 01 May 2024, we are removing:

• compulsory membership of professional bodies for Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Registered Nurses
• the requirement for post graduate qualifications for health professionals and the qualification requirements for non-health professionals.

What is not changing?

We are not removing the requirement for professional memberships for non-health professionals, such as the Career Development Association of New Zealand (CDANZ). We are also not removing the membership requirements for psychologists due to the Accident Insurance (“Counsellor”) Regulations 1999.

Why are we doing this?

The Vocational Rehabilitation Services contract is aimed to support ACC clients to achieve safe, sustainable, and early return to work outcomes. Removing some of the compulsory membership and post-graduate qualification requirements will provide increased flexibility for suppliers to achieve great results for our clients in a way that best suits their organisation. The decision reflects our trust in suppliers to make decisions that drive performance in their business model.

While we encourage membership of these professional bodies and continuing education for staff, we recognise that this is a decision that suppliers, and providers working for them, should make with the goal of improving rehabilitation outcomes.

The decision to remove these components specifically relates to the Vocational Rehabilitation Services contract.

If you have any questions, contact our Vocational Rehabilitation Services team. Email vrs@acc.co.nz

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