A South Australian coroner has made a string of recommendations to health providers after the death of an elderly Beachport man from legionella-caused pneumonia. Edward Mayell went to his Beachport GP in September 2014, complaining of lethargy, loss of appetite and weight loss. The 83-year-old returned to his doctor on two more occasions, before being transferred to Millicent Hospital, Mount Gambier Hospital and later the Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide, where he died on October 5, 2014. The findings of an inquest handed down by deputy state coroner Anthony Schapel found Mr Mayell’s death was from natural causes, but also found that urgent medical information had not been shared between the multiple service providers and practitioners who had treated Mr Mayell. Eight recommendations will be brought to the attention of local, state and national medical service providers and entities following the coroner’s report.
April 11, 2017
C S Nursing Agency Pty Limited has failed to persuade the NSW Workers Compensation Commission to review its previous ruling involving Felicity Ann Blackwell. The medical assessment was made by Dr John Glass, an Approved Medical Specialist, and issued on 25 November 2016. Ms Blackwell worked as a Nursing Assistant at an aged care facility in Caves Beach. She was employed through a nursing agency, working 20 hours per week. She had been working with the aged care facility for about three months prior to her injury. On 17 March 2015 Ms Blackwell was called to come into work and commenced a cleaning shift. She was required to lift a vacuum cleaner onto a trolley and as she lifted it the handle of the vacuum cleaner came off. She grabbed the cleaner from the middle and experienced severe shooting and burning pain in her neck and right arm. She was unable to move her neck. Shortly after the pain radiated down her right arm, passed her elbow and the right arm became “numb”. On the day of the injury she attended the Emergency Department of Belmont hospital. She was released into the care of her regular family practitioner. She was told she had a wry neck as it was tilted to the left. She was seen by Dr Lindsay Marsh on 19 March 2015 who diagnosed a soft tissue injury to her cervical spine. She was advised to rest and a period of physiotherapy was organised and she was given analgesics and anti-inflammatories. She commenced physiotherapy on 20 March 2015 at Macquarie physiotherapy Belmont. She was certified fit for light duties from 30 March 2015 but she did not return to work after the injury due to the severity of the pain. As the symptoms were persisting Dr Marsh referred her for an MRI scan that was taken on 9 April 2015. This demonstrated uncovertebral spurring causing slight narrowing of the right C3/4 foramen with contrast upon the exiting nerve root. There was no evidence of nerve root compression. Over the last 18 months her neck and right arm symptoms have remained unchanged and she has not been able to return to work. She remains significantly disabled due to her symptoms and her neck has remained tilted to the left.
April 11, 2017
Sigma Company Limited is set to defend a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) before Deputy President Clancy in Court 3 – Level 6 in Melbourne (Khaleel).
April 11, 2017
Allity Pty Ltd has been served with a s.365 (Application to deal with contraventions involving dismissal) by an ex-staff member (Suhr).
April 11, 2017
The Health Services Union and Plenty Valley Community Health Ltd are contesting a s.739 (Application to deal with a dispute) before Commissioner Cribb in Conference Room E & F – Level 6 in Melbourne at 4.30pm.
April 11, 2017
Bidgerdii Community Health Service is defending a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) filed by an ex-staffer (VanDenBrink).
April 11, 2017
A Queensland aged care worker will face court after allegedly assaulting two fellow staff members. The 55-year-old employee of Cardwell Care, in far north Queensland, entered the facility while off duty before allegedly attacking the female nurses, 63 and 49. The older woman suffered bruises on her neck and behind her ear and the other woman’s ear was injured. A police spokesman alleged the man had been trying to access documentation when the nurses asked him what he was doing and told him to stop because he was not on duty. He fled in a vehicle before being tracked down and arrested shortly after despite struggling with officers and resisting arrest, police alleged. The Cardwell man was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and obstruction.
April 10, 2017
Mental Health Review Tribunal president Barry Thomas was sacked by an executive council order yesterday, after an internal bungle that left thousands of decisions in a legal limbo. Mr Thomas was asked in February to show cause why he should not be dismissed. Special laws had to be rushed through State Parliament to retrospectively validate 11,000 decisions by the tribunal after it was discovered a tribunal member was unqualified to sit.
