Graphic images showing horrific pressure injuries suffered by an elderly woman allegedly neglected while in residential care have been shown at the Royal Commission into Aged Care. Shirley Fowler, 92, developed pressure ulcers on both her feet in 2017 that were initially missed by inadequately trained staff and became infected. One foot was so seriously injured it exposed bone and developed harmful necrotic tissue shown to the commission in photographs. Mrs Fowler then developed contractures in her legs, which resulted in the freezing of a limb in a foetal position due to the atrophy of muscles. She is now immobile and can only move her eyes, which may have been avoided if she had received physiotherapy and massaging, Mrs Fowler’s daughter Lyndall told the commission in Darwin on Tuesday.
July 10, 2019
Eastern Health has partnered with Eastern Community Legal Centre to develop a new support system to assist older people experiencing elder abuse in Melbourne’s east.
July 10, 2019
The Baptist Union of Queensland – Carinity will face a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) in front of Fair Work Commissioner Booth in Chambers in Brisbane (Stacpoole).
July 10, 2019
An aged care worker accused of swindling a blind pensioner out of more than $300,000 has had her charges dismissed after a magistrate said there was a lack of evidence. Coomba Park woman Robyn Ann McMinn, 65, appeared in the Downing Centre Court on Monday facing seven charges of defrauding Richmond resident Ann Parker out of $312,950 from 2014 to 2017. The court heard the pair were friends and had an arrangement for Ms McMinn to provide Ms Parker with in-home support and care. The agreement involved Ms Parker providing Ms McMinn with authority to withdraw up to $10,000 per week from her bank and pensioner accounts to pay for grocery shopping, bills and other household goods. In his ruling, Magistrate Garry Still said there was insufficient evidence Ms McMinn accessed the accounts to dishonestly obtained funds over the three year period. The court heard Ms McMinn provided Ms Parker with receipts and change from items purchased on her behalf. “Ms Parker said she authorised sums of $1000 and $5000 to be taken out of her accounts each week, twice a week. But the accounts show $600-800 a couple of times a week,” Magistrate Still said. “The amounts withdrawn are not inconsistent with the purchase of food, bills, the purchase of cigarettes which appears to have been in the order of $150 twice a week and the purchase of other items — ovens, chairs, vacuums, household goods and linen. “There were also suggestions made that Ms McMinn was gambling via poker machines but there’s no direct evidence … the money withdrawn was used for such purposes. “(The charges) cannot be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.” Ms McMinn pleaded not guilty to the charges. She was granted bail after her arrest in Foster in October, 2018.
July 10, 2019
A Geelong hospital nurse has been spared a conviction after pleading guilty to falsely claiming thousands of dollars in parenting benefits. Single mum Stacey McCain pleaded guilty to one charge of obtaining financial advantage by deception at the Geelong Magistrates’ Court on Monday. The court heard the 31-year-old mother falsely received more than $40,000 in single parenting payments over several months between 2016 and 2017. McCain’s lawyer told the court her client did not fully understand the need to report her income and had telephoned the relevant departments 42 times over the period of offending. The court was told McCain believed corrections to any overpayments would have been made when she lodged her tax return. Through her lawyer McCain said she said had an accomplished nursing career at Geelong hospital and was currently studying a masters degree in a specialist field. The lawyer said McCain had shown “real and genuine remorse” by selling her only asset — a block of land in Drysdale — to fully repay the stolen funds. “She is extremely concerned that a conviction could impact her nursing career,” the lawyer said. Magistrate John Lesser said the amount stolen was “very high” but acknowledged McCain’s lack of prior history and struggles with mental illness. Mr Lesser fined McCain $2000, without conviction, and placed her on a 12 month good behaviour bond.
July 10, 2019
A chiropractor’s claim that a patient she had sex with was her “partner” has been rejected by the Health Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal. The woman, who has name suppression, was charged with acting in an inappropriate manner by engaging in an intimate or sexual relationship with a current patient. At a hearing in Auckland on Tuesday, the tribunal found she had committed professional misconduct and censured her. The chiropractor, referred to as Ms N, had admitted having a sexual relationship with the man, Mr H, while treating him between February and May 2017. But her lawyer Hannah Stuart argued the charge should be dismissed because the pair knew each other socially before he became her patient, their sexual relationship was “minor” and there was no power imbalance. The Chiropractic Board’s Code of Ethics states a chiropractor cannot have a sexual relationship with a patient “unless that patient is the chiropractor’s spouse or partner”. However, Anita Miller, the lawyer representing the Professional Conduct Committee, alleged Mr H was “clearly” not Ms N’s partner as their relationship had been casual and brief. Miller said sleeping with a patient was a serious breach of professional boundaries, regardless of whether it was consensual. The tribunal heard Ms N and Mr H met and became friends at a martial arts gym where they both trained in Brazilian jujitsu in October 2016. The following January, Mr H hurt his back and sought treatment from Ms N. At the time they were “just friends”, Ms N said. But, one night in February, the pair went out together in a group and Ms N invited Mr H back to her house, where she became “flirty” and they slept together. After that, they started seeing each other about two to five times per week and stayed at each other’s homes. Ms N said she made it clear to Mr H the relationship was not exclusive, but she did not see anyone else. She treated Mr H for his back injury a further six times between February and May and stopped charging him for the sessions. The chiropractor informed her employer about the nature of the relationship in April. About that time, the pair started arguing. They went on holiday over Easter, and while looking at Ms N’s phone without her consent Mr H discovered she planned to end the relationship. Later, Ms N admitted to wanting to end the relationship. Mr H became upset and took drugs and sleeping pills. Ms N said she tried to support him as a friend but the sexual relationship continued until May 27. In August 2017, Mr H complained to the Chiropractic Board about Ms N’s conduct. The complaint was heard by the tribunal, which ultimately decided Mr H was not Ms N’s partner. If and when Ms N returned to practice in New Zealand during the next three years she would be required to complete training or courses in ethical obligations and professional standards. The tribunal ordered Ms N to pay a quarter of the total investigation and tribunal costs of $60,796. It said Ms N “showed an overall lack of awareness and a degree of naivety about having a sexual relationship with a patient.
July 10, 2019
Hawke’s Bay District Health Board (HBDHB) has appointed Craig Climo as interim chief executive to replace outgoing chief executive Dr Kevin Snee.
July 10, 2019
A s.185 (Enterprise agreement) application from The Trustee for the Lifehouse Australia Trust for the Lifehouse Medical Radiation Scientists Agreement 2019 has been granted by Fair Work Deputy President Saunders, in Newcastle, on 8 July 2019.
