Dear Minister for ACC,

In a letter written by Gabby Boag (then) Senior Advisor, ACC Government Services, to a Mr Anthony Jordan (using this FYI website) dated 28 January 2014, it was stated that; "... ACC has developed best practice case management principles around the use of medical assessments."

I requested a copy of the ACC's "best practice case management principles around the use of medical assessments" in a letter dated 22 January 2015. At date - some 16+ months later - I still do not have this information.

Mr Darrel Read of the ACC's Southern Short Term Claims Centre Gradual Process Team advised me in a letter dated 13 March 2015 that; " ,,, the use of Occupational Physician Assessments within the Work Related Gradual Process team are used as a tool to determine cover, we do not have a standard policy and as it is not the same as a Vocational Medicine Assessment or an initial Medical Assessment." Yet, Mr Read had earlier advised me in an e-mail dated 11 February 2015 that - in relation to the ACC's request that I attend an Occupational Physician - S55 of the AC Act would apply "in conjunction with our team policy."

Having complained to the Ombudsman in a letter dated 14 September 2015 that the ACC had admitted "this part of your request (for the "best practice case management principles around the use of medical assessments") was not answered", the ACC's Government Services office undertook to prepare a response. I subsequently received an e-mail dated 29 September 2015, however, I was not provided with the "best practice case management principles around the use of medical assessments" information I had specifically requested, and as so clearly described by Gabby Boag. Instead, I was provided me with copies of two internal policy documents that are unrelated to "the use of medical assessments" and which are titled "Principles of client centric services" and "Principles of effective three point contact".

It is not possible that the ACC does not have the information that Gabby Boag referred to as abovementioned and I am again requesting that I be provided with a copy of the ACC's "best practice case management principles around the use of medical assessments."

Simultaneously I am requesting a copy of the "team policy" that Mr Darrel Read referred to as quoted above.

In conclusion, it cannot be that the ACC does not have clear principles and policy and guidelines around the use of medical assessments that relate to requests to attend an Occupational Physician Assessment under S55 - in particular sub-clause 1(e) - of the AC Act.

This is a request under the Official Information Act.

Yours faithfully,

Lee M.

Dear Minister for ACC,

Please can you confirm receipt of my information request forwarded by Minister Nicky Kaye. Also, kindly indicate the date by which you will be providing me with the requested information.

Yours faithfully,

Lee M.