Police are yet to lay charges over a stabbing at a Bundaberg disability centre. A 17-year-old resident allegedly threatened another resident and a member of staff with a knife on Monday before stabbing a 43-year-old man. The teenager is assisting police.
August 4, 2016
A health care worker who says she was sacked after blowing the whistle on severe understaffing and appalling patient conditions at a Northern NSW nursing home is suing her former employer for unfair dismissal. Dianne Bailey, 56, worked at RSL Care’s Darlington Retirement Village at Banora Point as an assistant in nursing for about a year before her casual employment contract was terminated. She said she had been working about 120 hours a month at the 90-patient residential care facility but after raising concerns about staff safety and patients being left sitting in their own body waste for hours, she was placed “on-call” and her contract was later terminated. In a claim to the Fair Work Commission, Ms Bailey says she raised such concerns several times during her employment. After she attended a meeting with management in May she was taken off the roster, the claim says. She was formally dismissed on July 7. She was allegedly told she didn’t fit into the workplace culture and there had been “issues with her conduct”. Ms Bailey told of shocking incidents she saw, including patients not being given adequate pain relief and going days without showers. “I’d come home from work distraught about the care the residents hadn’t received,” she said. “Someone needs to stand up and say, ‘That’s enough’.” RSL Care has denied all her allegations. CEO Stephen Muggleton said he could not comment on individual cases of dismissal but said the organisation had not received any complaints from Ms Bailey. “It’s never acceptable to compromise the safety or care of our residents,” he said. “We investigate every concern raised … as a result of the investigation, we strongly refute this allegation. “Darlington, Banora Point is a well-run site with dedicated and caring staff and a close-knit community. “The site was assessed by the Aged Care Quality Agency in March 2016 meeting all compliance requirements and standards.” Maurice Blackburn lawyer Patrick Turner said the case raised questions about treatment of staff at other residential care facilities. “This is one of the larger aged-care providers in Australia and it raises questions about the treatment of staff at these other facilities,” he said. “Staff should never be penalised for blowing the whistle … people should be protected when they stand up and stay something.”
August 4, 2016
Ashford Hospital nurses should have prevented the death of a 34-year old man who suffered a fatal heart attack after gastric surgery nearly three years ago, the state Coroner has found. The nurses failed to heed 33 alarms in 40 minutes.
August 4, 2016
Wuchopperen Health Service Limited is facing a s.739 (Application to deal with a dispute) and a s.372 (Application to deal with other contravention disputes) both at the instigation of a staff member (Cooper).
August 4, 2016
The New South Wales Nurses and Midwives’ Association and Wesley Hospital Ashfield have a hammer and tongs (s.739 – Application to deal with a dispute) matter before Fair Work Commissioner Johns in Hearing Room 12-2 Level 12 in Sydney.
August 4, 2016
An application by Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (s.437 – Application for a protected action ballot order) is being considered by Commissioner Cribb in Conference Rom E – Level 6 in Melbourne at 2pm.
August 3, 2016
Bynoe Community Advancement Cooperative Society Limited is fighting off a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) from ex-staff member Owens.
August 3, 2016
South West Healthcare has a s.372 (Application to deal with other contravention disputes) on its desk (Chan).
