NEWS-HR

An elderly NSW man has been hospitalised after a fight with another man involving a lawnmower and a knife.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation – New South Wales Branch and St John of God Health Care have a s.739 (Application to deal with a dispute) on foot before Fair Work Commissioner Johns in his Melbourne chambers at 5pm.

A s.185 (Enterprise Agreement) application by The Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane T/A Anglicare Southern Queensland for its Anglicare Southern Queensland Residential and Home Care Sector and Support Workers Enterprise Agreement 2017-2019 has been approved by Fair Work Commissioner Saunders in Newcastle on 23 February 2018.

Gosford-based housing provider, Pacific Link Housing, has announced the appointment of long-standing senior executive Daphne Wayland as interim CEO.

A s.185 (Enterprise Agreement) application by Indochinese Aged Care Services, NSWNMA and HSU NSW Enterprise Agreement 2017-2020 has been sanctioned by Commissioner Saunders in Newcastle on 23 February 2018.

A urologist who was once cleared of the wilful murder of a terminally ill patient has been fined $30,000 over his care of a man with bladder cancer. In 2013, Daryl Alan Stephens failed to read a pathology report for up to three months that revealed one of his patients had high-grade bladder cancer that had grown into the muscle. When he realised the patient had the aggressive cancer, he did not tell the man about the recommended treatment options of surgery or radiotherapy, instead opting for conservative management. After a State Administrative Tribunal hearing, Dr Stephens was this week told he would be fined the maximum of $30,000 but would be allowed to keep working as a specialist. The tribunal found the urologist had engaged in professional misconduct and was incompetent in his treatment. But it ruled the protection of the public was not at issue in the case and found Dr Stephens had shown significant insight and had taken steps to ensure his behaviour was not repeated. Dr Stephens told the tribunal he felt conservative management was the best option. The patient died in October 2014 but no allegation was made that his death was caused by the treatment or lack of treatment from Dr Stephens. Dr Stephens was involved in a murder trial over allegations he killed cancer patient Freeda Hayes with fast-acting drugs in 2000 but was acquitted.

The Southern DHB has been given a three-week extension to a deadline for improving workplace conditions in extreme heat at Lakes District Hospital. WorkSafe issued three ”improvement notices” to the DHB on February 9 requiring it to assess if heat stress was a significant risk to its workers and others, and to review its processes for mitigation and engaging with staff over the issue.

More than a dozen patients were caught smoking meth while in hospital between January 2011 and June 2017. One nurse suffered a head injury during their first day on the job as they struggled to deal with an angry, drug-fuelled patient, an industry representative said.