Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:616;Page:11994] 
4.  
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister for ACC 
: What has been the total cost to the Accident Compensation Corporation in each of the past 3 years for private providers of rehabilitative services such as Alpha Consultants? 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister for ACC) 
: 
 I am advised that the total cost to the Accident Compensation Corporation in each of the past 3 years for vocational rehabilitation is $19637000 for 2000-01 $24064000 for 2001-02 and $23221000 for 2002-03. Work preparation programmes commenced 14 months ago and expenditure was $910914 for the 2002-03 year. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Can the Minister confirm or deny that private providers of rehabilitative services for the Accident Compensation Corporation such as Alpha Consultants are paid a bonus for every accident victim who is transferred from being a client of the corporation to being a client of the Department of Work and Income? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: No. I imagine that as is the standard case in Accident Compensation Corporation contracts the individual providers are given additional money if they have successful outcomes. Transferring a claimant from the corporation to Work and Income is not a successful outcome. 
Dave Hereora 
: Does the Minister have any information on the effectiveness of job skill programmes such as those provided by rehabilitative services such as Alpha Consultants? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: The 6-week programmes focus on people’s psychological physical and vocational needs. According to a Waikato study of work preparation programmes undertaken in that area 65 percent or more are back in the paid workforce or actively job seeking within 3 months of completing the programme. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: Why after 4 long years of a Labour Government are over 30 percent of long-term claimants dissatisfied with the Accident Compensation Corporation and what is she going to do about the corporation’s standards and quality control that have allowed vulnerable injured people to be subjected to bizarre treatment and non-professional providers? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I agree with the concerns of the member that having only 83 percent of claimants satisfied with the corporation is not enough and I intend to continue the improved level of claimant satisfaction that has been shown over the last 4 years. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: How does a woman with a bad shoulder need a teapot of salt water up her nose and how many reports are there of accident victims who found that nonsensical treatment such as she received so degrading they could no longer bear to attend those courses—and as a result the Accident Compensation Corporation no longer has to pay them the compensation they are rightly owed? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: As was confirmed in the radio interview with Dr David Rankin from the corporation this morning that particular practice was not appropriate for the provider to be offering even though it was on a voluntary basis. The majority of claimants on that course voluntarily asked to use nasal irrigation and subsequently continued to use it privately but that practice is no longer being continued by that provider. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Does the Minister seriously expect us to believe there are New Zealanders out there volunteering to have nasal spray up their noses from teapots of salt water; and more important is that not just an attempt by the Accident Compensation Corporation to shift people from its books on to another department’s books and why is she allowing this practice to continue? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: As the member will know a number of New Zealanders do suffer from sinus irritation and that treatment is considered one of the non - drug-related treatments helpful to people. The majority of claimants on that course voluntarily undertook the treatment but it is not considered appropriate for the provider to be offering that treatment within the funds provided by the corporation and the practice has now stopped.