Primary care

What we’re doing

We’re working with the primary care sector to ensure every client receives the right treatment at the right time so they can return to work and independence sooner.

We’ve done a significant amount of work over the last two years to improve rehabilitation outcomes. But there is more to do, and we can’t do it alone.  

We’re continuing to collaborate with our providers and suppliers, to make improvements, including:

• exploring how we can redesign the ACC18 medical certificate and ACC45 claim injury forms to better support primary care and reduce administrative burden
• supporting certifying practitioners by developing tools, such as a dashboard that is helping them to track and compare rates and durations of incapacity certification with their peers. 
• changing the way we commission services by contracting directly with organisations who have strong links to general practice to address known pain points and improve certification practices. 

Why this work matters

Our data shows more people are spending longer off work after injury, particularly for low complexity injuries such as sprains and strains. Longer time away from work and everyday activity can make recovery harder and has negative impacts for the injured person, their whānau, employer and community. It also puts pressure on the Scheme and the sustainability of the entitlements ACC provides.

We’re focused on supporting recovery that is active and timely – so people can get back to what matters, sooner.

How to stay informed

• Join our online primary care engagement webinars to hear updates, ask questions and share feedback.
• Use the medical certification dashboard to support reflection on certification practice and recovery outcomes.
• Look out for updates about ACC18/ACC45 improvements and what you may need to do as changes roll out.
• Stay connected via monthly Provider Updates and through this web page. 
• Meet our team and share your feedback at primary care conferences throughout the year.

Send questions or feedback to:

Email engage.primarycare@acc.co.nz

Past webinars

Click through to view previous webinar recordings and download the presentation slides and FAQ documents.

Primary care external reference group

Our Primary Care External Reference Group provided guidance on potential solutions to improve rehabilitation outcomes for clients accessing primary care services. This group represented a diverse group of clinicians specialising in different areas of primary care with broad geographical representation. 

Themes discussed were:

• Primary care – current state and future visions
• Client access, experience and outcomes – enhancing experience and results
• Digital health solutions – improving communication, streamlining processes, reducing administrative burden
• Education and clinical pathways – promoting learning and best practice
• Innovative rehabilitation programmes – integrated models of care
• Meeting reflections – summarising insights, findings, and recommendations.