Why is it any surprise to SING that evidence is ignored?
Why is it any surprise to SING that the Department of Health and Ageing refused to consider photographs offered or to conduct meetings with informants?
Why is it any surprise to SING that: In a number of cases examined by this office the statements of reasons provided by the scheme (Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme ) were insufficient, failed to make adequate findings in the material questions of fact, did not refer to the evidence, and on occasions did not address all issues complained about or investigated.
SING ASKS THE GENERAL PUBLIC: WHY ARE ANY OF US SURPRISED AT THE OUTCOME OF THIS ANNUAL REPORT? THE AGED CARE REPORTING SYSTEM OF BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS IS A DISGRACE. CREDIBLE PUBLIC INTEREST WHISTLEBLOWERS AND INFORMANTS ARE BEING BULLIED, INTIMIDATED, VICTIMISED, AND SACKED FOR SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THE ABUSE, ASSAULT AND NEGLECT OF OUR ELDERLY AND DISABLED CITIZENS.
INDEED, ANYONE WHO FULFILLS THEIR OBLIGATION UNDER THE AGED CARE ACT AND REPORTS WRONGDOING IS NOT SAFE. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED BY OTHER GROUPS THAT LACK OF STAFF IS THE MAIN REASON FOR NEGLECT, ASSAULT AND ABUSE. SING SUGGESTS THAT ABUSE, ASSAULT AND NEGLECT IS HAPPENING IN FACILITIES THAT HAVE GOOD STAFF RATIOS.
SING SUGGESTS THAT ABUSE AND NEGLECT FLOURISHES BECAUSE THOSE CREDIBLE STAFF WHO SPEAK OUT ARE TREATED SO BADLY BY THOSE IN POSITIONS OF POWER. THE ABUSERS WHO REMAIN EMPLOYED ARE THE PEOPLE WHO FLOURISH AS THEY KNOW THEY WILL BE PROTECTED. THE CREDIBLE PUBLIC INTEREST WHISTLEBLOWERS OR INFORMANTS BECOME THE SCAPEGOAT TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO.
SING CHALLENGES THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR AGED CARE, TO VIEW THE EVIDENCE IN OUR POSSESSION. BUT WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE RESPONSE WILL BE. THE SAME AS IT HAS BEEN FOR YEARS - NOTHING.
IN SEPTEMBER 2009, THE SACKED PUBLIC INTEREST WHISTLEBLOWER PROVIDED IRREFUTABLE PROOF OF WRONGDOING TO THE OFFICE OF THE AGED CARE COMMISSIONER. COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF EVIDENCE WAS PROVIDED REGARDING A SERIOUS CASE OF ASSAULT AND ABUSE AT EBBTIDE HOUSE, EVENTIDE NURSING HOME, BRIGHTON, QUEENSLAND. THIS EVIDENCE WAS SUPPLIED TO EVENTIDE MANAGEMENT, QUEENSLAND HEALTH, THE CRIME AND MISCONDUCT COMMISSION AND THE AGED CARE COMPLAINTS INVESTIGATION SCHEME, ONE YEAR PRIOR IN SEPTEMBER 2008. THE RESULTS SO FAR ARE: ONE OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST WHISTLEBLOWERS WAS SACKED, THE OTHER SOUGHT EMPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE AND THE ABUSER IS STILL EMPLOYED AT EVENTIDE.
GOOD QUALITY MEDIA IS THE WAY TO EXPOSE WRONGDOING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND THIS ALSO INCLUDES WEBSITES SUCH AS SING.
Just click on document to view
Aged Care Commissioner's Annual Report is located on the right side of this website.
This is disgraceful.
ReplyDeleteWhy have impartial Commissions if they do not act impartially?
Is there a conflict of interest evident?
I have read this article with interest. The Office of the Aged Care Commissioner appears to have no backbone. What is the taxpayer paying for when its recommendations are ignored? I watched the recent SBS programme and it seems that nothing has changed in aged care. The reporting system is obviously flawed. Private sector AIN's are having to do documentaion. give out medications and have up to 15 patients or more to look after. It looks good on paper, but most AIN's know that it is impossible to give good hands on care when they are required to do jobs out of their scope of practice. When staff do report wrongdoing they are igmored and targeted. No one is listening - from the AIN's to the Department of Health Ageing.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching the S.B.S programme it seem's nothing has changed in Aged-Care. I was horrified when I viewed the Minor Fleeting of elderly women, is this what Australia has become? Is this how we treat our elderly citizens? Thank God for people like you Karen. Keep trying to make a difference!
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