Friday, July 12, 2013

Premier Bligh and Minister Lucas: Please do not tell Queensland Health staff they are safe from reprisal when they make a Public Interest Disclosure!

FURTHER EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE THAT THE DISTRICT MANAGER, TAKING CARRIAGE OF THIS CASE, WAS INFORMED BY A FAMILY MEMBER IN SEPTEMBER 2004, THAT HER MOTHER WAS BEING ABUSED BY THESE TWO STAFF MEMBERS. DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE AVAILABLE.
To view any of SING's documents just click on the document and it will enlarge.
Eventide management and Queensland Health denied that any abuse took place. The Queensland Police Service report below, clearly disputes those denials.


Queensland Health's Audit Operational Review Unit stuff's up from the beginning. The Minister involved in this case and other serious abuse/assault cases at Eventide, Brighton is now serving a sentence in prison for corruption. See articles below.

Missing words: Karen Smith caused the resident to be:
This clearly delusional, defamatory letter was written by the registered nurse to the newspaper reporter. The reporter thought the Whistleblower had a right to have a copy. This registered nurse and the abusive advanced assistant in nursing remained in the mental health unit for two more months on night duty together. This registered nurse was responsible for the distribution of medication to mentally ill and frail elderly and disabled patients. She was also in a position of power over subordinate staff. It was the Public Interest Whistleblower who was removed from the unit by Eventide management and Queensland Health's District Manager.


Please read paragraph 4 very carefully. This registered nurse was allowed to remain in charge of a mental health unit , working night shifts, for a further two months after the Public Interest Disclosure to the Crime and Misconduct Commission. This was permitted with the full knowledge of Eventide management and Queensland Health. It was the Whistleblower who was removed from the unit - not the abusers. Tell the truth Minister: Reprisal is a real possibility for those who speak out without proper support.
To Whistleblowers and staff speaking out: If you keep delaying, you give bureaucrats plenty of time to re - write history. If you keep delaying, you give them time to gather enough false evidence to discredit you. If you keep delaying, you give them enough time to wear you down so you will resign due to distress. Other Whistleblowers' stories to follow.




THIS POST ABOVE WAS WRITTEN ON THE 30 AUGUST 2009. IT HAS COME TO SING'S ATTENTION RECENTLY THAT NEW EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE PROVING THAT THE SACKED PUBLIC INTEREST WHISTLEBLOWER HAS BEEN VALIDATED IN HER REPORTING OF THE DESPICABLE CONDUCT OF THE REGISTERED NURSE AND THE ADVANCED ASSISTANT IN NURSING IN THIS SERIOUS MATTER. PLEASE NOTE THE LINK (1n) ON THE RIGHT: DARINA MASLAUSKAS V QUEENSLAND NURSING COUNCIL AND IN PARTICULAR CLAUSE 43 OF THIS REPORT.


SHAME - PREMIER AND MINISTER LUCAS - SHAME.

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT EVENTIDE MANAGEMENT AND QUEENSLAND HEALTH CONTINUED TO TARGET THE WHISTLEBLOWER AFTER IT WAS KNOWN THAT THIS REGISTERED NURSE WAS INDEED MENTALLY ILL?

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT EVENTIDE MANAGEMENT AND QUEENSLAND HEALTH CONTINUED TO MOVE THIS REGISTERED NURSE FROM PLACE TO PLACE LIKE A PAEDOPHILE PRIEST - RATHER THAN DEAL WITH HER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES?

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE PUBLIC INTEREST WHISTLEBLOWER'S EVIDENCE WAS MISREPORTED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING BY QUEENSLAND HEALTH?

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT A FAMILY MEMBER REPORTED HER MOTHER'S ABUSE TO THE DISTRICT MANAGER IN SEPTEMBER 2004 AND NOTHING WAS DONE?

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE NURSING UNIT MANAGER OF FLINDER'S HOUSE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT OR THE DIRECTOR OF NURSING AT EVENTIDE, DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS REGISTERED NURSE WAS SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL?

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE QUEENSLAND NURSES' UNION OF EMPLOYEES REPRESENTED THE TWO ABUSIVE STAFF MEMBERS AND TRIED TO PRESSURE THE PUBLIC INTEREST WHISTLEBLOWER TO CHANGE HER STATEMENT?

The 4 paragraphs that the Queensland Nurses' Union of Employees wanted removed:

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT EVENTIDE MANAGEMENT CONTINUE NOT TO REPORT SERIOUS ABUSE/ASSAULT OF THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED TO THE QUEENSLAND POLICE SERVICE?

MORE QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED AND MORE COMPELLING EVIDENCE TO BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY.

VIDEO LINK OF THE 7.30 REPORT - 15 MARCH 2006 - TO BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY.

OTHER DOCUMENTS PROVING THAT REPRISAL AGAINST THE PUBLIC INTEREST WHISTLEBLOWER CONTINUED AFTER THE DISMISSAL BY QUEENSLAND HEALTH OF THIS REGISTERED NURSE, WILL BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY.


ADDIT:
SING has been asked in comment 6. What did Queensland Health's Human Resource Management ( HRM ) do to help? The answer is below:

A meeting was held with Eventide management, Queensland Health's HRM and the Queensland Nurses Union's organiser on the 14 May 2004. This meeting took place prior to the Public Interest Whistleblower's disclosure to the CMC. This meeting was a debacle from the beginning. Prior to this meeting the QNU organiser tried to pressure the Whistleblower to change four paragraphs of her statement. The Whistleblower refused.

During this meeting the registered nurse stated that she believed the Public Interest Whistleblower suffered from a 'transference disorder ' and suggested that the Whistleblower should be forced to undergo a psychiatric assessment. It would eventually come to pass pass that it was the registered nurse who was forced to undergo a psychiatric assessment and was subsequently suspended for 2 years.

The registered nurse and the advanced assistant in nursing were permitted to be support people for each other at this meeting. They were not interviewed separately and were both present to hear the evidence of each other. Evidence was not recorded at this meeting and the transcriptions were a disgrace. HRM allowed these anomalies in evidence gathering to take place.

The Public Interest Whistleblower was removed from the unit (read 7.30 Report on right ) by Queensland Health's District Manager.

The two abusers remained in the mental health unit for a further two months.

The registered nurse was then rotated to work in all houses at Eventide, Brighton until she was finally interviewed by Queensland Police Service ( QPS) the following year in May 2005; almost 10 months after the PID to the CMC in July 2004.

Almost immediately after this QPS interview the registered nurse was suspended and later dismissed.

This email was sent to the Public Interest Whistleblower by mistake ( it was intended for the Executive Director of Nursing, Eventide ), shortly after her Public Interest Disclosure (PID ) to the Crime and Misconduct Commission ( CMC ) in July 2004. This email below was included in the submission by the Public Interest Whistleblower to the Queensland Public Hospitals Commission of Inquiry. This submission was written at the request of the Office of the Public Advocate, so is therefore a public document. Deceit and deception from the very beginning. This case was a debacle from beginning to end. More documented evidence of the disgrace that is claimed to be a reporting system, will be posted shortly.

21 comments:

  1. After reading section 3.1, I wonder how do you get the police clearance to secure a job with QHealth in a mental health unit? Perhaps an offer of a bed would have been the better option.

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  2. I worked at Eventide Nursing Home under this poor, sick mentally ill registered nurse. We all knew her horror stories. How did Eventide management not know?
    AAIN Eventide.

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  3. That letter you have posted is of great concern! If you showed that to any reasonable person to read they would see she has issues! What is sad is that nobody assisted her with her issues!
    Would there not have been some sign of issues -legal documentation in records or something that could have been done!
    It is always the person that speak up or acts ethically that gets knocked!

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  4. Many so-called reasonable people were aware of these issues and did nothing for many months, except of course to victimise the Whistleblower. I contacted - the Director of Nursing, the Nursing Director, the Queensland Police Service, the Queensland Nurses Union of Employees (they wanted me to alter my statement), Queensland Health, the Minister for Health, the Minister for Police, politicians, the Director General of Queensland Health and many more. Finally, I contacted the Crime and Misconduct Commission (interview to be posted soon). Mental health issues or not - ALL BETS ARE OFF WHEN STAFF intentionally ASSAULT AND ABUSE THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED IN THEIR CARE. The other abusive staff member was also implicated in the Police report obtained through Freedom Of
    Information. Because she was not answerable to the Queensland Nursing Council, she was not suspended or dismissed.

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  5. It is not hard to believe that this Registered Nurse was in charge of a mental health unit after working at Eventide. For many years I saw management bulling staff. I also have been bullied. Who was accountable? Aged care is to be a caring place for the last years of life, not thrown on the floor at Eventide. Karen they failed to give you a safe work place and home environment for aged. Management should have been the ones stood down not you.

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  6. I agree with the above entry!
    What did HRM at Prince Charles Hospital do to protect you up until the day that you was sacked?
    I am sure that they did not support you!
    I am sure that HRM at Prince Charles last year was great assistance in assisting management in dealing with you!
    The question I would like to ask is why didn't the HRM staff at Prince Charles Hospital protest last year - they give advice!
    Why didn't HRM do their job in protecting you as a ethical whistleblower?

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  7. Thank you for answering my question about HRM staff!
    Tell me something we all do not now know!
    However that does not answer the question about your dismissal? What input did the HRM staff have in that?
    I am sure that the current HRM staff who was working in January 2009 would have been on to your dismissal!
    The question that I would like answered is this - are not HRM staff employed to ensure that the Queensland Health Code of Conduct is adhered to?
    That is hardly likely to happen with the HRM staff at Prince Charles Hospital and Eventide Nursing Home do not themselves understand what is ethical conduct!

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  8. I was bullied at Eventide by a staff member that had a criminal record. He was moved to Flinders house where he went on to sexually assaulted another staff member. Management knew that he had a past history of abusing other staff and did nothing. Karen this is not unusual, it was well known by staff they move the problem and the carpet gets higher, good staff leave.

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  9. To the comments regarding HRM and Prince Charles' involvement in protecting Whistleblowers. The short answer is: THEY DON'T. THEY WON'T AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO. Did many in HRM know of my pending termination of employment? Of course.
    Would I expect or did I receive natural justice or procedural fairness from any of them? NO.
    Would I expect HRM to act ethically? NO.
    Has there been an instance where HRM implemented the Code of Conduct? YES, USUALLY TO STIFLE THE PUBLIC INTEREST WHISTLEBLOWER.
    I have made more than one Public Interest Disclosure to the CMC and have been present when another Whistleblower made her's. That serious report was given in September 2008 to Eventide management; the abuser remains at Eventide - the Whistleblower no longer does.
    The rhetoric spoken by some of the decision makers in many Whistleblower cases is just that RHETORIC. From the very beginning of a report, damage control is implemented. Those who may believe the Whistleblower are soon advised that they should not be seen to be in any supportive.
    I was present at many different meetings with HRM at Prince Charles - both as a QNU representative and as a person reporting wrongdoing. I cannot remember one time that I really felt anything but disgust at the way any of these meetings were conducted by HRM.

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  10. To the person bullied by the staff member who then proceeded to sexually assault a female staff member in Flinder's House, Eventide, Brighton.
    SING is advised that this same male staff member was well known for his harassment and bullying of female staff.
    SING was advised that he was charged with sexual assault by the Queensland Police Service.
    SING is advised that this male staff member's criminal history was extensive.
    SING is advised that his bullying and intimidation was brought to the attention of Eventide management and it was the informant who was victimised.

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  11. Did the QNU assist the informant at all?

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  12. I would love to know!
    The QNU represent Executive Director of Nursings very well in investigations.
    Example - RBWH and the RCH Executive Directors of Nursing.
    If only everyone got this representation!
    Do they pay more union fees?
    Or does HRM assist the union in defending the Executive Nursing staff members?
    I am sure you would have loved this type of representation!
    This is just a question!

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  13. one victim of this male staff member was me. I had a restraining order against him, but I was a casual employee so I was the one who lost out on work. He had an exstensive criminal record prior to commencing employment with Q Health, in fact he had ben to prison for assult causing grevious bodily harm. I was just one off many who lost work or left due to his bullying and harasment, and HR was aware of it all, in fact i recall hiding under a desk at Eventide in the office to hide myself from him one day, I was afraid for life and safety of those around me, he threatened to hurt many of us and he was the one who was protected by management.

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  14. Eventide management and Queensland Health appear to protect the abusers and vilify the Whistleblower or those who speak out or up. This attitude has not changed in many years and it is the genuine, credible, decent staff members who will continue to suffer reprisal. SING has a great deal of evidence proving that Eventide management has fostered an ingrained, bullying culture.

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  15. Indeed it does, and I would like to take this opertunity to say that unfortunately, this seems to be a Quensland Health Issue, not only Eventide. I have worked in several different health service districts within QHealth, and have found the bullying culture runs rife throughout the system. The only way to stop this would be to sack all middle and upper management and start again, as it is clear that management cover their bums and the bums of their friends who are known bullies.

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  16. I was also a victim of this male nurse he threatened to put me in a body bag. He called me choice names. A male manager was also informed of this male staffs bulling and refused to take a written statement from me. He said it would just cause repercussions. I like you was moved,so much for Eventides management.

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  17. Interesting article full of facts and figures, well done!!!

    Human Resource Management

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  18. To HRM obviously facts and figures were not given, but go chase up the court transcripts, my copy makes for horrific reading. You want facts....the bastard held a knife to my throat and swung a baseball bat at my head, sexually assualted another, and swung another baseball bat at another woman, threatened to put a woman and her family in a body bag, physically assaulted his child, did 7 years in jail for assault causing grevous bodily harm and still maintained his job with good old QHealth. Thats 6 victims in one breath. I should say HRM well done!! You managed to put everyone at risk!!!!

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  19. Could you please inform SING where these court transcripts can be obtained?

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  20. Ask Sally.....she ended up with mine for evidence to support her assault case, unfortunately its looks like she was probably paid out.....and never returned the transcripts. My case though was heard at the Sandgate Magistrates Court, not sure the exact date anymore, I believe it was around 2003 at the time my surname was Forster. I remember after it all happened an RN on DH1 told me about a nurse named Roxanne that this bastard went for with a baseball bat, the RN just complained about not being employed as a body guard!!! UNBELEIVABLE a call to 000 would have been nice. and of course that lovely nurse left

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