Quality of claims processing
Dear Department of Veterans' Affairs,
BACKGROUND:
Recommendation 9.3 of the Productivity Commission, June 2019 was, “if DVA’s quality assurance processes identifies excessive error rates (for example, greater than the Department’s internal targets), all claims in the batch which the sample was obtained should be recalled for assessment.”
DVA’s response on their website noted, “Progressing,” then “the implementation of this recommendation will involve on-going improvement.”
I AM NOW SEEKING:
: All documents, including internal emails, prior to the formal commencement of reassessing relevant batches where excessive error rates are noted, and
: All documents, including internal emails, pertaining to the results of all reviews undertaken as a result of Recommendation 9.3.
Yours faithfully,
Alan ASHMORE
Dear Mr Ashmore,
The Department of Veterans' Affairs (the department) has received your
request for access to information under the Freedom of Information Act
1982 (FOI Act). I note you have requested access to the following:
‘I am seeking:
: All documents, including internal emails, prior to the formal
commencement of reassessing relevant batches where excessive error rates
are noted, and
: All documents, including internal emails, pertaining to the results of
all reviews undertaken as a result of Recommendation 9.3.’
Your request was received by the department on 6 March 2023 and the
ordinary 30 day statutory period for processing your request commenced
from the day after that date.
Extension of Time
Due to an increase in the number of information access applications
currently being received by the department, we are asking your agreement
to an extension of time for a further 30 days to process this request
under section 15AA of the FOI Act. This would mean that your request is
due on 5 May 2023.
If we are in a position to make a decision on your request earlier than
this date, we will endeavour to do so.
The statutory period may also be extended if we need to consult third
parties or for other reasons permitted under the FOI Act. We will advise
you if this happens.
If you do agree we will notify the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC) of your agreement under section 15AA of the FOI Act.
Charges
The Department will notify you within 14 days of an estimate of the
charges that will apply to your request for non-personal information
before we process any requested documents or impose a final charge.
Your address
The FOI Act requires that you provide us with an address that we can send
notices to. You have advised your email address is
[1][FOI #10029 email]. Unless you tell us
otherwise, we will send all notices and correspondence to this address.
Disclosure log
Information released under the FOI Act may be published on a disclosure
log on our website, subject to certain exceptions. These exceptions
include where publication of personal, business, professional or
commercial information would be unreasonable.
Request to treat certain material as out of scope or irrelevant to the
request
To the extent the department has documents in its possession that fall
within the scope of your request, we intend to treat the following
information as out of scope or irrelevant to your request, pursuant to
section 22(1)(b)(ii) of the FOI Act:
1. The surnames, signatures and direct contact details of non-SES
Commonwealth employees and contractors, including clinical staff working
for Open Arms - Veterans & Families Counselling; and
2. The signatures of third party individuals.
If you agree to the department treating these details as irrelevant, and
to our request for an extension of time in which to process your request,
please advise by 16 March 2023.
Further assistance
If you have any questions about your request, please email
[2][DVA request email].
Regards
Fiona
Position Number – 62211034
Information Access Registrations Officer
Information Access Unit / Client Access and Rehabilitation Branch
Client Engagement and Support Services Division
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372)
[3][DVA request email]
[4]www.dva.gov.au
[5]cid:image002.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[6]cid:image003.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[7]cid:image004.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[8]cid:image005.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590
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References
Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #10029 email]
2. mailto:[DVA request email]
3. mailto:[DVA request email]
4. http://www.dva.gov.au/
5. https://www.facebook.com/DVAAus
6. https://twitter.com/DVAAus
7. https://au.linkedin.com/company/australi...
8. https://www.youtube.com/DVATVAus
Dear INFORMATION.ACCESS,
I note your response of 9 March 2023 where you stated, “due to an increase in the number of information access applications being received by the department, we are asking your agreement to an extension of time for a further 30 days to process this request …………”
I note the Information Commissioner’s guideline 3.13 that states, “Agencies should ensure a sufficient number of officers are authorised at appropriatetly senior levels to make both original and internal review decisions.”
Further, the DVA Secretary in FADT evidence post budget 2021 stated that an amount of $28.9M was allocated to DVA legal in order to expedite RC-FOI requests in connection with this Royal Commission.
Accordingly, I do not agree to this extension of time.
Yours sincerely,
Alan ASHMORE
Dear INFORMATION.ACCESS,
I note that DVA have not finalised this FOI request by 5 April 2023 as required by law. In addition I did not agree to your request for an extension as noted in my previous response.
I now ask that you expediate this request and thank you in advance.
Yours sincerely,
Alan ASHMORE
Thank you for your email. Please accept this automatic reply as
confirmation the Information Access Unit has received your email. An IA
Officer will contact you in due course, we appreciate your patience in the
interim.
This email is monitored during business hours Monday to Friday excluding
Public Holidays.
The Open Arms Veterans & Families Counselling service is available to
support members of the veteran and ex-service community and their families
and can be contacted toll free on 1800 011 046 (24/7). This number is for
counselling only. If you require urgent assistance, please call 000. If
you are unwell, please contact your local doctor or go to your nearest
hospital. You can also visit the Open Arms
website [1]https://www.openarms.gov.au/
References
Visible links
1. https://www.openarms.gov.au/%0dThe%20Saf...
Dear Department of Veterans' Affairs,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Department of Veterans' Affairs's handling of my FOI request 'Quality of claims processing'.
As of today this request is 71 days old. Please expedite this request ASAP. I really don't want to waste the time of getting Senator Lambie involved with this matter but I will do so unless this FOI is quickly finalised.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/q...
Yours faithfully,
Alan ASHMORE
Thank you for your email. Please accept this automatic reply as
confirmation the Information Access Unit has received your email. An IA
Officer will contact you in due course, we appreciate your patience in the
interim.
This email is monitored during business hours Monday to Friday excluding
Public Holidays.
The Open Arms Veterans & Families Counselling service is available to
support members of the veteran and ex-service community and their families
and can be contacted toll free on 1800 011 046 (24/7). This number is for
counselling only. If you require urgent assistance, please call 000. If
you are unwell, please contact your local doctor or go to your nearest
hospital. You can also visit the Open Arms
website [1]https://www.openarms.gov.au/
References
Visible links
1. https://www.openarms.gov.au/%0dThe%20Saf...
Dear Department of Veterans' Affairs,
I wrote the following 14 days ago and still NO response.
"Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Department of Veterans' Affairs's handling of my FOI request 'Quality of claims processing'.
As of today this request is 71 days old. Please expedite this request ASAP. I really don't want to waste the time of getting Senator Lambie involved with this matter but I will do so unless this FOI is quickly finalised.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/q...
Yours faithfully,
Alan ASHMORE"
This FOI request is now 85 DAYS OLD.
Unless this is finalised by no later than the COB on Friday 2 June 2023 I will make a submission to the Senate highlighting this as just another example of DVA's FOI process being scammed.
Yours faithfully,
Alan ASHMORE
Thank you for your email. Please accept this automatic reply as
confirmation the Information Access Unit has received your email. An IA
Officer will contact you in due course, we appreciate your patience in the
interim.
This email is monitored during business hours Monday to Friday excluding
Public Holidays.
The Open Arms Veterans & Families Counselling service is available to
support members of the veteran and ex-service community and their families
and can be contacted toll free on 1800 011 046 (24/7). This number is for
counselling only. If you require urgent assistance, please call 000. If
you are unwell, please contact your local doctor or go to your nearest
hospital. You can also visit the Open Arms
website [1]https://www.openarms.gov.au/
References
Visible links
1. https://www.openarms.gov.au/%0dThe%20Saf...
Dear Mr Ashmore,
Thank you for your email below in relation to LEX 56478. On behalf of the Department, I would like to apologise for the delay in replying.
The Department is actively processing your request and working on finalising it as soon as possible.
As a decision will be made shortly, could you please advise whether you no longer require a review on your request?
Kind regards
Natalie | Senior Information Access Officer
Position Number 62211022
Information Access Unit I Client Access and Rehabilitation Branch
Client Engage and Support Services Division
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Tel. 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372)
[email address]
www.dva.gov.au
Dear Mr Ashmore
Thank you for your Information Access Request. I would like to apologise
for the delay in issuing this decision to you and any inconvenience it may
have caused.
Please refer to the attached documentation and contact me via email
([email address]) if I can be of further assistance.
Kind regards
Natalie | Senior Information Access Officer
Position Number 62211022
Information Access Unit I Client Access and RehabilitationBranch
Client Engage and Support Services Division
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Tel. 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372)
[1][email address]
[2]www.dva.gov.au
[3]cid:image002.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[4]cid:image003.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[5]cid:image004.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[6]cid:image005.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.dva.gov.au/
3. https://www.facebook.com/DVAAus
4. https://twitter.com/DVAAus
5. https://au.linkedin.com/company/australi...
6. https://www.youtube.com/DVATVAus
Dear Mr Ashmore,
The Department of Veterans' Affairs (the department) has received your
request for internal review of the Department's decision LEX 58233 under
the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). Your internal review
request reads as follows:
'I am writing to request an internal review of Department of Veterans'
Affairs' handling of my FOI request 'Quality of claims processing'.''
Your request for internal review was received by the department on 16 May
2023 and the 30 day statutory period for processing your request
commenced from the day after that date.
Where possible, your request for internal review will be handled by an FOI
officer authorised decision-maker who was not involved in the original
decision.
Your address
The FOI Act requires that you provide us with an address that we can send
notices to. You have advised your electronic address is
[1][FOI #10029 email] . Unless you tell us
otherwise, we will send all notices and correspondence to this address.
Disclosure log
Information released under the FOI Act may be published on a disclosure
log on our website, subject to certain exceptions. These exceptions
include where publication of personal, business, professional or
commercial information would be unreasonable.
Further assistance
If you have any questions about your request, please email
[2][DVA request email]
Yours sincerely
Kevin Position Number – 62210946
Information Access Officer
Information Access Unit I Client Access and Rehabilitation Branch
Client Engagement and Support Services Division
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372)
[3][DVA request email]
[4]www.dva.gov.au
[5]cid:image002.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[6]cid:image003.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[7]cid:image004.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[8]cid:image005.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590
[9]cid:image008.jpg@01D8EA24.8F7FA8A0
[10]cid:image009.jpg@01D8EA24.8F7FA8A0
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #10029 email]
2. mailto:[DVA request email]
3. mailto:[DVA request email]
4. http://www.dva.gov.au/
5. https://www.facebook.com/DVAAus
6. https://twitter.com/DVAAus
7. https://au.linkedin.com/company/australi...
8. https://www.youtube.com/DVATVAus
Dear Mr Ashmore,
I refer to your request for an internal review of LEX 56478 to the
Department of Veterans’ Affairs (Department) – LEX 58233.
Please find the Department’s response attached.
Kind regards
Ramona | Assistant Director
Position Number: 62336362
Information Access Unit I Client Access and Rehabilitation Branch
Client Engagement and Support Services Division
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Tel 1800 838 372 (1800 VETERAN)
e [1][email address]
[2]www.dva.gov.au
[3]cid:image002.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[4]cid:image003.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[5]cid:image004.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590[6]cid:image005.png@01D7B6E3.69D49590
[7]cid:image009.jpg@01D8EDC8.743A0070
[8]cid:image010.jpg@01D8EDC8.743A0070
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.dva.gov.au/
3. https://www.facebook.com/DVAAus
4. https://twitter.com/DVAAus
5. https://au.linkedin.com/company/australi...
6. https://www.youtube.com/DVATVAus