Spinal cord injury and impairment
A lead provider of home care support services for people with spinal cord injury and impairment, we tailor our services to your needs. We listen to you and what you want and personalise your care.
Looking to change provider? Access can help with the transition. We will be alongside you to make the process smooth and centred on you and your whānau.
Watch our video to find out more about our spinal cord impairment services and how we work with you.
Meet our people
Corrina, Bay of Plenty
Originally from Gisborne and now living in the Bay of Plenty, Corrina has been an Access client since 2021 and, more recently, has became an employee. In 2021, at 24 years old, Corrina left Auckland Spinal Rehabilitation Unit after a car accident and began the process of adjustment and discovering her community.
Lynn, ACC Clinical Services Manager at Access
Lynn, ACC Clinical Services Manager at Access
Lynn sat down with the Spinal Trust NZ to share her expertise for the Wheelie Good series. Having worked at the Burwood Spinal Unit for 18 years as a clinical nurse specialist, Lynn plays a key role at Access helping people to transition home and training our spinal cord injury support teams.
Our teams
We meet you wherever you are. Click on your location below to find out more about locations and people in your region.
We have around 520 Access Support Workers in this region and offices in Auckland and Whāngarei.
Access employs around 515 Support Workers in this area, with offices in Hamilton and Tauranga. Find out about our local team and community activities.
With around 475 Support Workers in this region, Access has offices in Taranaki, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Havelock North and Masterton.
In this region we have around 500 support workers and physical offices in Kapiti and Lower Hutt (which is also our national office).
In Nelson and Marlborough we have around 240 support workers with offices in Nelson and Blenheim. On the West Coast we employ around 70 support workers and have an office in Greymouth.
Access employs around 430 Support Workers through the Canterbury Region and we have offices in Christchurch, Ashburton, Kaipoi and Timaru.
With around 360 support workers in the Southern region, Access has offices in Dunedin, Balclutha, Oamaru and Invercargill.
Our Group
When you choose Access, you are choosing a group which includes nursing and rehabilitation specialists who can work together to optimise your care, when and where you need it. We make it easier for you to navigate the health care system and get the services you need in a timely way.
Total Care Health
Total Care Health is the nursing division of Access, operating throughout the North Island, providing wound care and clinical services such as catheter care and IV treatment management. In the South Island, our community nursing services are all under the Access brand.
Focus on Potential
Focus on Potential is the specialist rehabilitation division of Access, providing personalised rehabilitation services after injury. Services provided for people with spinal cord impairment include physiotherapy and occupational health.
Our Community Partners
The mission of NZ Spinal Trust is to empower people with spinal cord impairments and their whānau to embrace positive futures.
SSNZ supports people with information, resources and peer supporters to empower people with spinal cord injuries, and whānau.
Parafed Waikato promotes and provides sport and recreation opportunities for people with physical disabilities and visual impairments.
New Zealand’s National Stadium, Eden Park is committed to providing high-quality accessible services for guests of all abilities to enjoy live events.
Permobil’s purpose is to innovate for individuals; to create advanced assistive solutions that make the lives of people living with disabilities more enriching.
A regional sports organisation dedicated to providing sport, active recreation, and play opportunities for people with all types of disabilities.
Spinal Cord Injury and Impairment FAQs
Here you’ll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about our spinal injury and impairment support services. We welcome all your questions.
We provide support hundreds of people with spinal injury or impairment, including many who have tetraplegia or paraplegia. A national contractor to ACC (for people who have had an injury resulting in spinal impairment), Access also works with all government agencies and ministries who fund and provide disability support services including Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People, Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora and Disability Support Services – Ministry of Social Development.
We are one of the providers you are likely to meet in Burwood Spinal Unit in Christchurch, or Auckland Spinal Rehabilitation Unit (ASRU) and our team can help you transition home, to wherever you need to go in New Zealand, including travelling with you if needed.
When you choose Access, we work with you to find the right team for your specific needs. Support Workers may be readily available, or we may need to recruit – and you can be involved in this process. We will do our best to match support workers with your preferences and their skill level and availability.
You are welcome to have family, whānau or friends as part of your care team.
We understand how important your care team is to you. Our regional team leads will work with you to find the best fit in terms of the skills and experience for the support you need, your culture, values and way that you prefer to live. Every effort is made to find the right people to support you and your whānau and we find this is the best way to ensure a good ongoing working relationship and consistency with your care.
In the event of staff illness or other unexpected absence we have a team to draw on to cover your rostered shifts.
Access works in all areas of New Zealand and is contracted by ACC, Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled Persons, Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora and Disability Support Services.
All day to day support is delivered locally and your team will live and work in your community, with a good understanding of your area. We have 22 regional offices and six Regional Managers who are responsible for the delivery of care and management of teams in their region.
Our national presence gives us strength in terms of:
- larger, skilled teams with plenty of back-up support should additional resources be needed e.g. to cover sickness, in a crisis event.
- national standards for quality, training, education and development.
- access to expertise from colleagues in other regions
As one of the largest providers of home support services and community nursing, Access has a team of more than 3,000 support workers and 200 nurses throughout New Zealand. This means in your region we have team members to cover planned and unexpected absence of your regular support team. Your local care coordinators will communicate with you about changes to your rostered team and you can also see your cares schedule in the Family Portal.
