A real headache

Early treatment is critical in the recovery of concussion, but many sufferers struggle to get adequate help from ACC, facing long delays and a lack of awareness about the condition.

- BY FIONA TERRY

James winces in pain waiting for an ACC staff member to answer his call. Migraine-inducing hold music echoes from his cellphone: ironically, Elvis's words, “We're caught in a trap,” on repeat.

With debilitating concussion caused by a blow to the head from a basketball travelling at high speed, 18-year-old James (not his real name) struggles to stay focused. Intense headaches, noise sensitivity and fatigue make finding the answers he needs from ACC unbearable.

It's taken 50 minutes just to get through, followed by a further 30 minutes of more hold music while on transfer to the department dealing with concussion, the Assisted Recovery team, so James can find out what treatment services would be included under ACC.

Nearly three weeks after James's visit to the emergency GP his symptoms were not improving. The Assisted Recovery team member promised a reply by email that day. Nothing came. Two days later, James and his mother repeated the lengthy holds and transfers. This became the new normal as they tried to navigate the processes of ACC, the state-owned insurer for accident and injury claims.

Even a recommendation by James's GP for ACC to assign a case manager to help simplify the process was eventually declined, with no explanation or way of appealing the decision.

Yet research shows getting early treatment for concussion improves the chance of full recovery. Frustratingly, James isn't alone in finding the ACC system difficult to navigate, with delays to treatment the consequence.

"My colleague and I spend around a fifth of our working week on hold to ACC," says Emma-Jo Sanders from the Top of the South branch of support charity Brain Injury New Zealand (BINZ).

"Often you get accidentally hung up on, or people promise to call back but don't. We can be sitting here for hours on hold with a client struggling even to focus. Most people dealing with ACC on their own for concussion just give up."