Chance to talk with ACC

The applicant was an elderly person who had been declined funding for a mobility scooter and sought a review of that decision. From a case conference, it was identified that part of the issue was the adopted modes of communication between the parties – the applicant and their family preferring to discuss issues personally. The parties agreed to enter into conciliation.

By bringing the parties together, the applicant was able to let ACC know why they were upset with the decision, and that they had not been able to understand it previously.  The conciliation provided the opportunity to have family members involved in discussion, who assisted the applicant to understand the decision and make them feel supported and comfortable.

It also became clear that the applicant’s perception of ACC was coloured by events that occurred many years prior. Through the open discussion, ACC was able to better understand the applicant’s circumstances, and address the relationship between them. It was established that the applicant could be assessed for transport for independence and the relationship going forward was set to be a positive one.