External Advisory Group helps shape future needs assessment approach
We’re continuing to explore how needs assessments for social rehabilitation services identify the supports and services injured kiritaki (clients) need. Making assessments clearer, more consistent, and easier to navigate will improve the experience for kiritaki, whānau, providers, assessors and our ACC kaimahi (staff), and help connect people with the right services at the right time.
Earlier this year we established a Needs Assessment External Advisory Group (EAG) to bring together people with relevant health, disability, and system expertise to provide independent advice and sector insights. The EAG is helping to inform our understanding of what is working well, where challenges exist, and where improvements could make the biggest difference for kiritaki and providers.
At the latest meeting, members came together to discuss possible improvements to assessment services and provide advice on how these could work in practice. These identified changes have been shaped through a collaborative process, including feedback and advice shared across previous EAG meetings and assessor research. This input has helped build a clearer understanding of what matters most for clients, whānau, providers, and assessors, and why this direction is being explored further.
A strong theme was the importance of keeping the kiritaki and whānau experience at the centre. Members reiterated the need to reduce the number of times kiritaki have to repeat their story, improve access to the right support at the right time, and make the recovery pathway easier to understand and navigate.
Feedback from the meeting will help shape the next phase of the Needs Assessment Project. We’ll be inviting you to attend an engagement in the coming months where we will provide a more detailed update on our mahi.
We’ll continue to engage with the sector and share updates as the project progresses.