NEWS-HR

Tenterfield Care Centre Limited is facing a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) before Fair Work Commissioner Cambridge in Hearing Room 12-1 – Level 12 in Sydney (Wait).

Calvary Hospital has launched an internal investigation into the suicide of an emergency department nurse who was allegedly bullied at work during the space of a year. Andrew Earl, who had been a nurse since 2009, was found dead in his Canberra home in late June 2017. Those closest to him have said that before his death, Andrew faced relentless psychological bullying while in the workplace. Calvary Hospital refused to comment on the alleged bullying when contacted. The ACT Health Services Commissioner is investigating Andrew’s death following a formal complaint made to it in September 2017. The commission underwent a review into the incident, according to documents. “This decision [to investigate] was made on the basis that if substantiated, the issues raised may reveal systemic problems at Calvary Hospital,” the document said. His death also triggered an investigation in the ACT Coroners Court. A decision was made in February not to hold a full hearing after initial inquiries. While the coroner was unable to find enough evidence to prove the alleged bullying was the sole cause of Andrew’s suicide, those who knew the nurse have rejected the findings, and are seeking answers about what happened in Calvary’s emergency department.

An application by Specialist Diagnostic Services Pty Ltd (s.266 – Industrial action related workplace determination) is the preserve of Fair Work Vice President Hatcher in Court 1 – Level 6 in Melbourne at 9am.

A doctor who missed red flags in diagnosing her patient’s oesophegeal cancer has been fined more than $20,000. The Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal found “Dr H” had failed to refer her patient to a specialist or for an endoscopy on four separate occasions despite him presenting cancer symptoms. The tribunal said this amounted professional misconduct and censured the doctor, a female general practitioner who has permanent name suppression, ordering her to pay 30 per cent of the tribunal costs amounting to $21,636. Dr H has appealed the tribunal’s decision to the High Court.

Disability Rights Advocacy Service Incorporated is defending a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) before Fair Work Commissioner Platt in his Adelaide chambers (Carroll).

A retirement village has been hit by thieves looking for a “soft target”, leading police to warn the public about the importance of locking screen doors. At least nine homes were targeted by criminals on Saturday night in Carlyle Gardens Townsville, a lifestyle resort in Condon. District Duty Officer Robert Dusha said police were aware of at least nine attempted break and enters in the village.

Paramedics across the state are giving ambulance patients free rides in protest over the NSW government’s order they pay for their own Working With Children checks. Australian Paramedics Association NSW secretary Steve Pearce says the ban is a protest against the $80 fee, not the check itself. As of 9pm on Wednesday paramedics stopped collecting billing information from patients transported in ambulances. “As emergency services first-responders we are not prepared to pay for something that should be covered by employers,” Mr Pearce said. “Paramedics are really angry, they’re not going to cop this.” He said 16,000 NSW Police and NSW Fire & Rescue staff had already been granted an exemption from the $80 fee. Paramedics are required to have their Working With Children checks by the end of the month, but Mr Pearce said he expects up to 60 per cent of officers to refuse.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery and Eastern Health have a s.739 (Application to deal with a dispute) on foot before Commissioner Cribb in Conference Room E and Conference Room F – Level 6 in Melbourne at 10am.