SPINAL NETWORK NEWS

ACC – SELF-MANAGEMENT:
Taking Control of Everyday Living
Muir Spreads His Wings with First Self-management
Purchase
As one of the first ACC clients signed up to the self-management
pilot scheme, Muir Templeton reached an important
milestone earlier this month.
Porirua-based Muir went online and booked a return flight
to the Burwood Spinal Unit in Christchurch. Instead of having
ACC coordinate things for him as in the past, he had control
of the purse strings and charged the fare directly to his selfmanagement
account.
“Previously, my case manager would have orchestrated those
flights for me, forwarding lots of letters and emails. Now, I’ve
got my bank- card and can do it myself. It’s my responsibility to
ensure things like flights are booked. I can also arrange wheelchair
taxi transport at the other end,” he says.
A tetraplegic since injuring himself in a rugby accident in 1975,
Muir is relishing the new-found freedom that self-management
has given him. The upshot, he says, is a greater sense of responsibility,
control, and purpose. The first funds were deposited
into Muir’s self-management account in September and, while
it’s early days, he describes the self-management pilot scheme
as “encouraging”, and is looking forward to making more
purchases.
• Attendant care for personal care tasks such as showering
and dressing;
• Home help with tasks such as cooking, laundry, and cleaning;
• Child-care;
• Medical consumables like gloves or wipes;
• Small items of equipment that need to be replaced within
the following year;
• Equipment maintenance and repairs;
• Travel expenses associated with the person’s injury;
• Regular day activity programmes related to the person’s
injury;
• Podiatry services;
• Pharmaceuticals.
Since being launched in August, the self-management pilot has
been progressing steadily. Fourteen clients are now taking part;
funds are being deposited into specially set up bank accounts;
and pilot participants are purchasing their own goods and
services.
All going well, ACC is hoping to launch the self-management
programme nationwide later next year. If you’d like to know
more about ACC’s self-management pilot, send an email to:
selfmanagement@acc.co.nz
Raymond Burr
“At the moment it’s working really well for me. Organising my
own things gives me a sense of purpose. You can do it in your
own time and in a relaxed manner. I’m sure that others with a
serious injury will respond to it very well.”
More about ACC’s self-management pilot programme
ACC’s self-management pilot involves around 50 clients with
disabilities across the lower North Island pilot region taking
more control over purchasing their own supports and services.
It aims to help people be more independent, with ACC taking
a step back and trusting them to make their own support
decisions.
People on the pilot choose the services and supports they
want to self-manage from their existing ACC package of supports.
This might include:
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