A coronial inquest into the death of a 33-year-old after he was given painkillers in a Brisbane hospital has heard there were inconsistencies in nurses’ records about how much pain he was in. Michael Calder died at the Holy Spirit Northside Private Hospital at Chermside on Brisbane’s northside on July 11, 2014. The father of three had been admitted with a severe headache and was given a mixture of morphine and oxycontin. Sarah Atkinson, from Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, who is representing Mr Calder’s family at this week’s inquest, said he was found collapsed three days after being admitted and could not be revived. She said an autopsy later found he had lethal levels of morphine in his blood.
August 18, 2016
The Department of Health and Human Services has a s.372 (application to deal with other contravention disputes) with which it must deal (Corral).
August 18, 2016
Staff at Albany’s public hospital have avoided serious consequences after confidential patient information was found by a member of the public in the building’s courtyard. A double-sided paper document listing the personal details of 11 mental health patients, their reason for admission and their risk factors was found in the courtyard of the Albany Health Campus in June. The woman who found the document took it to local Albany MLA Peter Watson’s office who in turn released it to the media. The WA Country Heath Service (WACHS) has now completed an internal review into the incident and said it was very concerned the breach had occurred.
August 18, 2016
The Health Services Union and Goulburn Valley Health are embroiled in a s.739 (application to deal with a dispute) before Fair Work Commissioner Cribb.
August 18, 2016
Mercy Public Hospital Inc is facing a s.394 (application for unfair dismissal remedy) instigated by an ex-staff member (Born).
August 18, 2016
Jasmeen Kaur has failed in her unfair dismissal claim against The Frank Whiddon Masonic Homes of New South Wales despite being legally represented. Whiddon terminated Ms Kaur’s employment on 11 February 2016 following an incident on 9 January 2016, in which a client, a resident of the nursing home at which Ms Kaur worked, had a fall. Ms Kaur sent the client to hospital the next day, where it was revealed that he client had a broken hip.
August 17, 2016
Frank Whiddon Masonic Homes of New South Wales Pty Ltd is to face a s.739 (Application to deal with a dispute) lodged by a Weaver.
August 17, 2016
Cuts to paramedics’ working conditions could force many on to welfare if they are badly hurt on the job, union leaders claim. Income protection for injured workers has been drastically cut by the NSW government under a watered-down Death and Disability scheme that kicks off at the weekend, the Australian Paramedics Association (APA) NSW says. Under the changes, paramedics who become partially disabled will receive payments worth 75 per cent of their base wage nine months following their injury, APA president Stephen Pearce says. But the payments will stop after two years, leaving workers at risk of losing their homes, he claims.
