The Royal Commission into Aged Care (2018) came as no surprise to many in the industry. As the authors argue, contemporary aged care services support people in need of complex nursing and medical care in residential, community respite and home care settings.
The Government's Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, a portfolio of the Department of Health, mandates the protection, safety, health and wellbeing and quality for people receiving aged care. Amongst the many important standards and requirements in aged care settings is organisational and clinical governance that ensures quality, risk management and antimicrobial stewardship; whereby consumers are afforded care and support for the prevention and control of infection.
MORE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
- Figures show need for new way of thinking
- New purpose must be found for building
- Part of the solution, or part of the problem
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Embracing first Australians will help us all
Indeed, "organisations are expected to take steps to prevent, detect and control spread of infections" (standard 3g). During current COVID-19 times, we, in the aged care service industry in the Hunter, are very fortunate to work collaboratively with staff from the Hunter New England Health Service and the Primary Health Care Network. Specialist clinical and aged care leaders work seamlessly delivering care for older people, ever exploring alternative and innovative ways of providing better care and services for all older people in need.
It is time, in the light of the Royal Commission and knowledge gained from the pandemic, for the government, businesses and community to support system redesign/new models of care/service such as those championed by Viv Allanson, John Ward and John Groswell. Importantly we need research into such innovation in order to demonstrate the outcomes needed to ensure quality, safety and dignified end of life care and service for older people and their families. The Hunter, with its innovators and researchers in aged care, is ideally placed to lead in this space.
Isabel Higgins, Valentine
Time to say enough's enough
I AM a non-Aboriginal woman. When I write or speak of Aboriginal issues my knowledge is second hand, limited and clumsy.
The way I have gained knowledge is by befriending, listening and reading. The history of Aboriginal people since white settlement, for those willing to learn, is intensely and unspeakably ugly.
The way George Floyd died resonated deeply with the world's Indigenous people because it is a vivid snapshot of the pain and truth of their combined histories.
Our Prime Minister, the head of the AMA, some parliamentarians and members of the public have said protesters who gather and march are putting themselves and others at risk because of coronavirus. There is a time when the moment must be seized. Despite the risk, people have to come together in grief and solidarity to say enough is enough.
Julie Robinson, Cardiff
'Johnny-come-latelys' ruin it
REGARDING Denise Pollock's opinion in regard to Adz Carter's comments (Letters, 10/6), I'd like to make a few observations.
Adz would be in the music industry, mostly for love of the craft rather than financial gain because as we all know, there is not a lot of money to support people in the industry due to COVID and also this city's reluctance to embrace the live music scene.
Denise talks about checks and balances in regard to rules and regulations regarding residents' rights in mixed use complexes, but this needs to be balanced with the rights of music venues who are penalised with harsher rules when new units are built in close proximity to them. All of a sudden there are noise complaints from new residents who were somehow not aware there was a live music venue right next door.
IN OTHER NEWS:
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Food courts to reopen and more people allowed to visit homes
- Knights members' ballot for tickets to Melbourne Storm game
- Three arrested in Newcastle police gun, drug supply operation
- How 80% of allocations of a 'community' grants scheme went to state government entities
I have said it before and I will say it again, these people who complain about a bit of noise need to have a good look at themselves and move to the country if they want that serenity. When you talk about original residents in this area, there were probably 50 per cent more live music venues in the seventies and eighties.
This was well before the city of Newcastle became a retirement village. I remember when Surf City was operating (next door to the Great Northern) and a unit complex was built across the road, a resident of this new complex would spend the weekend videoing to make sure they closed on time and also would try to catch them out on doing anything outside the rules. Why do "Johnny-come-latelys" have all the power, and existing live venues get penalised?
Tony Morley, Waratah
Upcoming artists need support
VALERIE Ryan's large donation to medical research and the arts is pleasantly surprising, but rather than spending millions of dollars on a building or showing art works from long gone artists I believe she would have approved the majority of the arts funding being spent on supporting upcoming dancers, musicians, actors and artists. These people would be far more appreciative, and needy, than a cold lifeless building.
Art displays will last forever; people's artistic talent only a short time. Give these people the opportunity they deserve; the opportunity they work so hard to achieve. That a bit of money will help go a long way in their pursuit of fame.
Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek
Where's all the money gone?
IN reference to the news reports NSW government's public sector wage freeze I have a few questions for our Premier and Treasurer:
1. The sale of the port of Newcastle, where's the money gone?
2. Privatisation of our public transport system, where's the money gone?
3. The sale of the land that used to be the heavy rail corridor, where's the money gone? Also the millions of dollars your government gets from the Newcastle mining industry in royalties, where's the money gone? The sale of all of the publicly owned buildings state office blocks for the sum of $418 million dollars, where's the money gone? The dividends that you get from Hunter Water, where's the money gone?
Do us all a favour Premier/Treasurer, stop crying poor. You give your mates pay rises, talk about double standards. Pathetic.
Philip Carter, Metford
We must plan for the future
THE NSW Government decisions on desalination appear to be based on strange reasoning. Sydney is not currently affected by drought, and the Woronora reservoir has not yet collapsed into a coal mine, therefore no decisions about future water security are needed.
This parallels last year's decisions about fire-fighting capability. The predicted bushfires had not yet happened; therefore it was safe to cut the fire-fighting budget.
Is the government really so incapable of planning for the future? The drought will be back in a few years. So will the bad bushfire conditions, probably in a more extreme form because of rising temperatures. So, sooner or later, will another pandemic. We need leaders who understand the need for planning.
Peter Moylan, Glendale
SHORT TAKES
IN his magnificent speech to the masses in August '63, MLK said of the civil rights movement, "this is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilising drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy." Nigh on 60 years later and half a world away, surely we in this country must now adopt the same attitude towards BLM.
Michael Stockley, Warners Bay
I READ with some dismay of the push to remove the statue of Sir Edmund Barton our first prime minister from Port Macquarie as it offends some. I think we should go further and remove all traces of our history by destroying all history books, films and all archives. Anyone that has first hand knowledge of any of our history should present to a facility and have their minds erased. We can then start from today and see if that will keep everyone happy. Wake up Australia you can't change or erase history, regardless of the rights and wrongs of it all.
James Worthington, Kurri Kurri
I LIVE in Adamstown and not a chance in hell would I want Supercars racing past my front door, Mr Creek, and I'm sure residents of Stockton would be the same. Nor would I want to be told when I can come and go from my house. Add to this cost our council won't reveal.
Bruce Cook, Adamstown
THE East End Residents group has divided the community with their complaints and acts of vandalism and their put downs of those who support the event.
Mark Creek, Adamstown
RE: Driveway deaths, why don't the estates let families have fences to cut off the driveways? Has common sense gone out the window?
Amanda Johnstone, Mayfield
IN the letters match, John Ure versus Scott Hillard in regard to USA's gun laws, I think John leads 2-0. But you guys should be aware none of us really care.
Brian Burgess, Floraville
BEV O'Hara, just to correct your comments; the government hasn't paid a cent to litigants, yet. They have only 'promised' they would. As for the previous governments, I agree with you and blame them all. I could list all PMs and premiers if it will make you feel better. I think you also missed the point of my letter, which was making Aussies sue and fight in court to get any compensation for something that was in no way their fault. Governments past and present have been full of denials. Disgraceful.
Graeme Bennett, Warners Bay
FUNNY isn't it ... a few weeks ago we had right-leaning people protesting about the lockdowns - gathering and demanding to have the restrictions lifted. Now we have had from (I presume more left-leaning people ) protests - and the right are outraged.
