Four students from universities across Aotearoa New Zealand have been awarded scholarships from the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).
These students are working towards their masters, whilst investigating a research topic that relates to ACC’s research priorities.
These research topics will be working on improving outcomes for those with injuries.
Kat Fox will work toward a Master of Health Sciences, Endorsed in Pain and Pain Management, at the University of Otago.
Her research aims to evaluate the clinical appropriateness of ACC-funded Lumbar spinal fusion surgery, by auditing approvals against internationally accepted guidelines, and exploring the contextual factors which influence ACC’s decision-making when it comes to justifying surgical procedures. Kat’s research recognises “the critical gap at the intersection of clinical quality, cost stewardship, and patient safety”.
She is hoping her findings will help with emerging concerns about discordance between Assessment Report and Treatment Plan (a key document which ACC uses to justify surgical procedures), diagnoses and actual clinical conditions. Kat’s research will help inform ACC with evidence to insure high-cost interventions are clinically justified and equitable.
Kat is a physiotherapist with expertise in pain management and says she has seen the significant impact persistent pain has on quality of life, function and wellbeing, “not only for individuals, but also for their whānau and communities”. She is committed to improve outcomes for people with pain.
Rachel Skilling is investigating the relationship between visual, balance-related, autonomic, and physical function, within the prolonged recovery of a sports-related mild traumatic brain injury. She will be undertaking this research at the Auckland University of Technology, where she will be completing a Master of Health Science.
Her research aims to offer ACC a “comprehensive and evidence-informed approach to understanding and improving outcomes for individuals with sport-related mild traumatic brain injury.” Rachel was a former competitive national-level equestrian, and experienced multiple concussions throughout her youth. “These experiences shaped my understanding of the physical and emotional toll that injury can have – not only on academic performance, but also on everyday life.”
Through her research, Rachel is aiming to “identify early physiological indicators of recovery and reinjury risk following sport related mild traumatic brain injury”. She is seeking improvements to our understanding of recovery pathways, and to inform safer return-to-play decisions within athletes.
She says, “This research is not just an academic pursuit – it is a continuation of my lifelong commitment to injury prevention, recovery, and the wellbeing of those affected by concussion.”
Laura Organ will be studying for a Masters in Sport, Exercise, and Health at Auckland University of Technology to understand the “vocational experiences of people with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-related Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis, after total knee replacement” in Aotearoa.
She says the purpose of this study is to inform ACC of more “responsive health rehabilitation, vocational support services, and self-management strategies” for those with Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis. Laura says that “real-world insights” have driven her to pursue research that is “practical, patient-centred, and directly aligned with ACC’s goals around improving rehabilitation outcomes equity, and long-term recovery”.
Laura’s research will help ACC improve 2rehabilitation outcomes, equity, and long-term recovery. She believes that her research will help inform ACC with more “sustainable, equitable pathways, particularly for working-aged adults at risk of financial hardship or re-injury”.
She says her motivation for undertaking this research stems from working closely with those recovering from ACL injury’s and undergoing total knee replacements, where she witnessed many of whom face “significant barriers when returning to work, or regaining functional independence”.
“This research is both professional and personally meaningful to me. It reflects my long-term goal of improving rehabilitation outcomes across Aotearoa.”
Ione Dennis will use her scholarship to work towards a Master of Science in Industrial and Organisational Psychology at the University of Canterbury. She will be researching the Biopsychosocial Models of recovery, and how personal and organisational factors influence capabilities to return to work after a concussion.
The purpose of Ione’s study is to “support the development of personalised and relevant recovery and return-to-work programmes, increasing successful recovery outcomes” She wants to improve recovery for groups disproportionately affected by concussion, so her research will consider how recovery processes can be better tailored to Māori and Pacific people.
Her research will help increase understanding of the interaction of concussion support and return-to-work policies, as well as providing a greater understanding of personalisation in terms of ensuring individuals receive the most beneficial support in terms of their needs. According to Ione, “this will enable ACC with more equitable access to support services for concussion recovery, resulting in more successful outcomes”.
Through Ione’s own experiences with concussions, she became motivated to make a positive impact on others struggling. “My experiences with concussion have given me insight into the holistic nature of recovery, which I feel needs more comprehensive research to be properly understood on a nation-wide scale”.
The ACC Scholarship is administered by Universities New Zealand – Te Pōkai Tara.
Applications reopen on 6 August and close on 31 October. Details are available on the Universities NZ Scholarships page.
The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) was established in 1974. It delivers injury prevention initiatives and no-fault personal injury cover for everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand. ACC funds postgraduate research scholarships to deliver evidence that helps address complex challenges and informs longer-term investment decisions in injury prevention and sustained recovery, specifically in the context of injury compensation.
