Reports of physical assaults and violent sexual attacks in Victoria’s aged-care centres have soared in recent years, with almost three cases a day across the state. More than 1000 assaults were reported in aged care in the past financial year, a rise of almost two-thirds in six years. They included 882 serious physical assaults, 147 sexual assaults and seven violent sexual attacks. Documents obtained under Freedom of Information laws set out the areas in the state with the worst records. Aged-care centres in and near Camberwell, Dandenong, Epping, Glenroy, Oak Park, Hadfield and Avondale Heights experienced the highest number of reported assaults in recent years. Across the country, there were 4013 reported assaults on aged-care residents. The shocking number of cases of abuse and neglect has prompted the federal government to establish a royal commission into the sector. “The safety of aged-care residents is paramount,” said Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt. “The changes detailed in the FOI report further confirm our commitment to a royal commission. “As the Prime Minister has said, if you want to deal with a problem you have to be fair dinkum about understanding the full extent of it. That is the point of holding a royal commission. It is not to pre-determine outcomes.”
September 21, 2018
Community Bridging Services (CBS) Inc is facing a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) before Fair Work Commissioner Platt in Conference Room 6a – Level 6 in Adelaide today (Horne).
September 20, 2018
A 51-year-old schizophrenic sufferer has been sentenced to jail, with time already served, for burning down his retirement village unit on Australia Day, causing $190,000 damage. Rodney James Barling was sentenced at the County Court in Ballarat on Wednesday to 236 days in jail,which he has already served, and a four-month community corrections order. Judge John Smallwood described Barling’s offending as a very serious example of arson, where 38 elderly residents were evacuated from the Bacchus Marsh retirement village facility. “It could have been a total disaster but fortunately it wasn’t,” Judge Smallwood said. He said Barling was in the grips of a psychotic episode when he lit the fire shortly before midnight on January 25. “What is clear now … is you were in the grips of a psychotic episode. You were hearing voices, losing your mind,” the judge said. “You stopped taking your medication and it’s in those circumstances your offending occurred.” Judge Smallwood accepted Barling had general remorse of what had occurred.
September 20, 2018
An aged care worker who was captured on hidden camera slapping and hitting a dementia patient in a Sydney nursing home has been sentenced to at least six months in home detention. Dana Gray, 59, was working in The Poplars aged care home in North Epping last year when one of her colleagues became suspicious of her behaviour and set up the camera. The video shows Gray slapping and pushing the elderly lady and pulling off her clothes aggressively before taking a bag filled with rubbish and hitting her again.
September 20, 2018
Mayo Healthcare Group Pty Ltd is facing a s.739 (Application to deal with a dispute) before Commissioner Johns in his Melbourne chambers (Scarlett).
September 20, 2018
The Health Services Union and Barwon Health will debate a s.739 (Application to deal with a dispute) with Fair Work Commissioner Cribb in Conference Room E & F – Level 6 in Melbourne.
September 20, 2018
A s.185 (Enterprise agreement) application from Southern Cross Care (Tas) Inc for its Southern Cross Care (Tas) Inc and Mary’s Grange Inc Staff Enterprise Agreement 2017 has been granted by Fair Work Commissioner Lee in Melbourne on 19 September 2018.
September 20, 2018
ACH Group is facing a s.372 (Application to deal with other contravention disputes) before Fair Work Commissioner Platt in Conference Room 6a – Level 6 in Adelaide (Kutchen).
