New Zealand Rehabilitation Association

11/06/2026

Rachelle is delighted to announce a newly funded Health Research Council project: Flourishing Health Systems: Embedding Disabled People’s Expertise in Health Design.
https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/Heart-research-gets-a-boost-with-HRC-funding

Disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori continue to experience significant barriers to accessing health and rehabilitation services that support them to live well, participate fully, and flourish across the whole of their lives, as so clearly shown in two very recent reports:

https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/news/disability-data-gaps/

https://www.hdc.org.nz/our-work/research-and-data-reports/health-experiences-of-disabled-people-report/

Too often, services are fragmented, difficult to navigate, or designed without enough attention to the expertise of the people and whānau who use them. And this is especially true for those who are not funded by ACC.

This 3-year research project asks what could change if disabled people’s and tāngata whaikaha Māori lived experience and expertise were embedded earlier in health system decision-making — including service design, planning, commissioning and evaluation.

Working alongside disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori, whānau, Health New Zealand and research partners, the project will develop and test practical ways to support more equitable, accessible and responsive health and rehabilitation systems for those who are not funded by ACC.

We are excited about this work and grateful to the many people and communities whose wisdom, challenge and partnership have helped shape the kaupapa so far.

04/06/2026

https://www.researchreview.co.nz/nz/Clinical-Area/Other-Health/Rehabilitation/NZ-Rehabilitation-Research-Review-Issue-75.aspx

Rehabilitation Research Review features key medical articles from global Rehabilitation journals with commentary from Professor Kath McPherson. Covering topics such as alcohol rehabilitation, cardiac rehabilitation, stroke rehabilitation, pulmonary rehabilitation, respiratory rehabilitation, addicti...

04/06/2026

Before you employ, refer or fund speech-language therapy, ask whether the SLT is NZSTA-registered. Speech-language therapy is not regulated under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act in Aotearoa New Zealand. Instead, the profession is self-regulated through the New Zealand Speech-language Therapists’ Association.

NZSTA registration provides an important layer of public protection. Registered speech-language therapists must meet qualification and professional standards, complete ongoing professional development, make annual declarations about their practice, and follow NZSTA’s Code of Ethics and Conduct.

Employing a registered speech-language therapist helps ensure the person you engage is qualified, current, accountable and committed to safe, ethical and culturally responsive practice.

04/06/2026

As we enjoy Samoan Language awareness week, try out some phrases!

🌺 Samoa Language Week Challenge 🌺

Can you learn and use one Samoan phrase today?

Small steps help keep languages strong.

If you're a speech-language therapist, educator, student or supporter of communication access, share your favourite Samoan word or phrase in the comments.

04/06/2026

DO you know all there is to know about APHASIA? It is Aphasia Awareness Month. STAR Space - Speech Therapy & Reconnection created this awesome infographic for spreading the word.

04/06/2026

🌟Have you explored your Member Rewards?

As a RANZCR member, you have access to an exclusive rewards program designed to support your financial wellbeing, insurance needs, legal services, travel and more.

The RANZCR Member Rewards Program offers a curated collection of benefits and services designed to support members both professionally and personally in ways that are relevant, useful, and quietly valuable.

Discover the full range of benefits available to you >> https://ow.ly/8VxG50Z6XqS

04/06/2026

New Event from ACC.
A message from Sophie Aitchison:
Register for ACC Secondary Care Market Engagement Event

We hope you’ll join us for our next online market engagement event on secondary care services on 16 June 2026. During this event, we’ll provide an update on our efforts to develop an improved service delivery model for secondary care services and what we’ve heard from the sector as part of the detailed design.

This work is the next step in our efforts to strengthen how we commission secondary care services to support better recovery outcomes for injured people and a sustainable Accident Compensation Scheme. It’s an important part of our Turnaround Plan.
One of the key changes we’re proposing is developing a new Musculoskeletal Secondary Care Service, which would replace the current Clinical Services for kiritaki (clients) with musculoskeletal injuries. The new service would strengthen eligibility and referral processes to ensure only those who really need specialist care receive secondary care services.

As part of the design process, we’ve been engaging with the sector at different stages and seeking feedback through short surveys, meetings with suppliers, professional bodies, and the Musculoskeletal Secondary Care Clinical Advisory Group.

During our market engagement event, we’ll share:
-More details about the new Musculoskeletal Secondary Care Service
-A summary of the feedback we’ve received from the sector
-What the proposed changes mean for our Clinical Services, Elective Services, and High‑Tech Imaging contracts
-Key dates for the upcoming contract tenders


Event details:

Tuesday 16 June 2026
12.00pm to 1.00pm

register here:

Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams

04/06/2026

You may have seen the recent RNZ story about a farmer offering to pay for a lift, so a dad doesn't have to carry his disabled daughter up the steps to their front door.

While an incredibly generous act, it raises the question: why was this necessary in the first place?

Housing is a human right. The UNCRPD requires housing and public facilities to be physically accessible. Yet whānau can't get the modifications they are entitled to because of capped funding.

In this article, National Disabled Leadership Coordinator Debbie Ward shares her thoughts and experience on the issue. Read more at the link in the comments.

"Private generosity should never be expected to plug structural gaps in under‑resourced public systems. When we normalise that expectation, we reinforce an outdated charitable model of disability – one that treats access as a favour rather than a right."

Image description: On a teal background is a circular photo of a woman using a wheelchair, blocked from going further by stone steps. Underneath, in dark blue, is the heading: 'Disabled people should not have to rely on kind strangers for basic access'. And smaller in black: 'Response to RNZ housing story'. Image has rounded corners, a white border, and the CCS Disability Action icon in the top left corner.

04/06/2026

What could make everyday life easier for disabled people?

We asked for ideas to address accessibility barriers, and the response was strong. Six projects are now being supported through Access Activator to help bring them to life.

That includes 2 New Zealand Paralympians helping schools make sport more accessible for disabled children, and a toolkit to support more autism-friendly homes. Other work focuses on how people plan journeys and access buildings, and understanding how accessible our streets really are.

We’re proud to be delivering Access Activator with CreativeHQ.co.nz, with funding, mentoring and delivery support.

Find out more and meet the innovators – link in comments 🔗

Image description: A purple graphic with the text “Access Activator recipients announced” at the top. Below are 3 photos of some of the recipients. The photo on the left shows Tim Young, founder of Access Quest, using a wheelchair on a suburban footpath, angled slightly away from the camera. In the middle is a headshot of Emma Foy, co-founder of Āhei, wearing glasses and facing the camera. On the right is a headshot of Laura Thompson, co-founder of Āhei, standing against a wall and facing the camera.