NEWS-HR

Victorian paramedics have been caught stealing and trafficking drugs with some even taking intravenous bags to treat hangovers among family and friends. An investigation revealed Ambulance Victoria paramedics in the Barwon South West region were involved in stealing and trafficking drugs, including fentanyl and morphine, the independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission said today. One paramedic was sacked, eight resigned while under investigation and six are still on the job but have received a formal warning, the commission said.

Plateau View Aged Care Pty Ltd has had its Plateau View Aged Care Pty Ltd, NSWNMA, ANMF NSW Branch and HSU New South Wales Branch Enterprise Agreement 2017 application granted.

A s.185 (Enterprise agreement) application by the Armenian Rest home Association Ltd T/A Alexander Aged Care for its Armenian Rest home Association, NSWNMA, ANMF, NSW Branch and HSU New South Wales Branch Enterprise Agreement 2017 has been approved by Commissioner Saunders in Newcastle on 15 September 2017.

Two kiddie criminals have been found hiding on a roof, after they terrorised an elderly woman in a retirement village. The boys, aged 11 and 12, were found on the roof of the Mundingburra retirement village home, following their involvement in the harassment of an elderly woman, along with two other boys. The group is accused of scaring the woman, 86, by banging on her glass door and wandering around her backyard. Police rushed to the home and quickly set up a cordon to catch the offenders, picking up two nearby, before locating the others on the roof of the Mundingburra home.

Castellorizian Aged Care Services Limited has succeeded in getting its application for its Castellorizian Aged Care Services Limited, NSWMA, ANMF NSW Branch and HSU New South Wales Branch Enterprise Agreement 2017 approved.

A s.185 (Enterprise agreement) application by St Vincent’s Private Hospitals Ltd T/A St Vincent’s Private Hospital Brisbane for its St Vincent’s Health Australia (Private Hospitals) QLD Support Services Enterprise Agreement 2017 has been a granted by Commissioner Harper-Greenwell in Melbourne on 15 September 2017.

Workplace churn is taking a heavy toll on the Northern Territory’s remote health clinics, with about half of staff leaving after just four months on the job. Two-thirds of health staff leave remote work altogether after a single year. Monash University researcher Deborah Russell, who led the study conducted by Monash, Flinders, Macquarie, Adelaide and Sydney universities, said a lack of continuity of care had “serious implications for both patient health and staff safety” in remote clinics. “It shows extreme fragility of the remote workforce, confirming that there is a heavy reliance on agency nurses to provide primary health care in NT remote communities,” Dr Russell said. She said constantly having to recruit and train staff was a “serious drain on resources”. The study looked at staff turnover in 53 remote clinics in the Northern Territory between 2013 and 2015. Study chief investigator John Wakerman Flinders University said bolstering the workforce of Aboriginal health practitioners could go some way to solving the problem. NT Health chief nurse Heather Keighley said the department was working on stabilising the remote workforce by moving to longer contracts, reducing the reliance on agency nurses and offering more educational and leadership opportunities for staff. Nurses’ accommodation in communities will be fitted with internet capability to allow staff to stay in touch with their friends and family. Ms Keighley said ideally, turnover would be about 10 per cent each year. She said a stable workforce was more effective. Community members were better off under a stable workforce because they felt more comfortable and willing to attend health clinics, Ms Keighley said.

A s.225 (Enterprise agreement) application by CM52 Pty Ltd, as Trustee for Corbett Family Trust T/A Corbett Neurology Services to terminate its Snore Australia and CM52 Pty Ltd Administration Staff Enterprise Agreement 2009 has been accepted by Vice President Catanzariti in Sydney on 15 September 2017.