Injuries cost 120,000 lost days

More than 120,000 days of productivity were lost in Wairarapa due to injures in the last reported financial year, ACC figures show.

ACC injury comparison reports provide communities across the country with a comprehensive picture of local injury rates and trends, and are designed to help prioritise and plan local injury prevention initiatives.

The most common injuries in Wairarapa occurred at home, and at $6.7 million, they were also the most expensive, the 2011/12 financial year data shows.

Wellington Free Ambulance spokesman Mark Sunderland said the most common accidents attended in Wairarapa were around the home, road traffic accidents and sporting accidents.

"Sporting accidents are more prevalent during winter with contact sports such as rugby.

"Whereas, during summer when people are playing cricket, we don't have anywhere the level of sporting injuries as we do during winter."

The ACC data showed loss of balance was the most common cause of accidents in the region, while walking or running was the most common pre-accident activity.

The Masterton district's injury ACC claim rate was slightly below the national average and had trended downwards over the past five years.

ACC insurance and prevention services general manager John Beaglehole said Wairarapa-based ACC injury prevention programmes included working with local sports clubs to try to minimise the possibility of alcohol related harm through responsible drinking.

"Such initiatives rely on the support of the clubs and their commitment to helping effect change with their members.

Nationwide, 8,843,795 days of productivity were lost due to injuries in the 2011/12 financial year.

Mr Beaglehole said the reports provided a wealth of information, from overall ACC claims rates to data for priority areas such as work, falls, assaults, motor vehicles and water sports.

"We're really keen to share our data and make the best possible use of it.

"ACC has a big role to play in helping to prevent injuries, but so do lots of other parties, including government agencies, local councils and non-government organisations."

The profiles were designed to be used by community organisations, in conjunction with ACC community injury prevention consultants, to help build local injury prevention plans.

The ACC data was complemented by statistics sourced from the police, New Zealand Transport Agency and Statistics New Zealand - enabling a detailed picture of where and how injuries were happening.

"For example, ACC doesn't collect information as specific as what street a vehicle-related injury happens on.

"But by matching our claims data with NZTA data, we can show details such as the cost of injuries on particular streets," Mr Beaglehole said. APNZ

By the numbers

The cost of injuries in Wairarapa by accident scene Home - $6.7 million

Road or street - $6 million

Sport & recreation - $2.8 million

Industrial - $2.2 million

Commercial/Service location - $1.7 million

Farm - $626,439

Source: ACC ( figures include Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa)