Physiotherapy Overview
Physiotherapy aims to help people move and live independently as best as possible, so they can
participate fully in all aspects of their daily living.
All the research lends strong support to what most people know intuitively: that staying active has a
positive influence to a longer, healthier life. At various stages in their lives, a large number of people
need the assistance of physiotherapists to start or regain activity.
Following injury or serious illness, returning to active independence in the community requires a great
deal of help and hard work. Physiotherapists – the largest health professional group contracted by ACC
– provide a lot of that help through their professional care.
Physiotherapists are highly skilled and highly educated, with a full understanding of the relationship
between physical/pathological conditions and how the body functions.
At the heart of physiotherapy is the importance of keeping people active so they can participate fully in
activities they choose to be part of and return to work safely.
Meeting the needs of various cultures, for instance Maori and Pasifika, is very important to
physiotherapists and is understood by our staff.
ACC ChangesWe feel it is important to keep you all informed as much as we can of changes in this area. At this stage ACC have announced that the current EPN contract that we have, will finish on November 15, 2009. Effectively this means that the “free physiotherapy service” currently available will cease. We will return to the system that we had a few years ago (and some places still have) where there is a part charge for treatment. Like most Health Professionals (GP’s, Podiatrists, Osteopaths, Chiropractors, X-Ray’s, etc) there is a part charge and the remainder is funded by the Government. At this stage we are unsure what the format and costs will be as we wait for ACC to announce the new fee structure. As we know more, we promise to keep you informed!
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