Northland physio accused of $138,000 ACC fraud

A Northland physiotherapist accused of fraudulently claiming more than $138,000 in ACC payments has elected trial by jury.

Skye Renes, 37, has pleaded not guilty in the Whangarei District Court to 17 charges of obtaining by deception and a further six charges of using a document for pecuniary advantage.

The alleged offences were committed over a nearly five-year period between May 2011 and January 2016. Both charges carry a maximum penalty of seven years in jail under the Crimes Act.

All except two are representative charges which means exact dates of the alleged offences are not clear.

Her annual practising certificate was issued by the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand on April 1 this year.

A board spokesman said the regulatory body was aware of Ms Renes' case but refused to comment further as the matter was before the court.

Ms Renes runs Fizeo Works Physiotherapy on Dyer St in Whangarei and her areas of practice include hand therapy, muscles and joints, occupational health/ergonomics, older adult, pain management, pelvic, women's and men's health, physiotherapy acupuncture, and sports.

She first appeared in court on September 18 and was granted interim name suppression and released on bail.

She re-appeared on Monday and elected trial by jury after pleading not guilty to all charges.

Ms Renes did not apply for an extension of the interim name suppression when it expired on Monday. She's on bail.

It is alleged she claimed fees for about 307 treatments that were invoiced under another ACC provider.

The Crown alleges the treatments between May 2011 and June 2012 were accompanied with no notes or were provided on the same day as another treatment to the same patient, they not eligible for payment or were not provided by the provider named on the invoices.

In another instance, she allegedly claimed fees for 118 treatments under a different provider's name. Those cases related to charges of obtaining by deception.

On the charge of using a document for pecuniary advantage, she allegedly used an ACC form under six different names on or around January 11 and 18 last year.

A trial date is yet to be set.