Meeting ‘a waste of our time’
FAMILY and friends of Earle Haven nursing home residents have slammed a meeting called by a federal department yesterday as “a total waste of time’’ and say they are livid they were left without answers.
More than 50 people attended the meeting yesterday, which was called by the Federal Health Department, hoping to hear when their elderly relatives could return home after they were shifted out of the aged-care wing in the midst of a contract dispute last week.
But as the meeting broke up they said they were none the wiser, with one furious family member saying their time had been wasted.
Barbara Healey, a former nursing manager on the Gold Coast, said she was angry at a State Government decision to remove residents from the home after the nursing contractor left last Thursday.
“I am disgusted with what happened sure, but Queensland Health stepped in and they made the decision that this was a disaster area and everyone had to be evacuated,” she said.
Ms Healey said that instead, resources should have been put in place to continue running the home.
“They just keep saying the same thing, it takes time, it takes time. Well, how long is a piece of string?” she said.
“All these people have been asking questions, no answers, nobody knows when they can come back.”
Ms Healey said her sisterin-law, who was a resident and suffered dementia, was confused about her new accommodation, which she now shared with others.
“She is very confused, she isn’t the only one – they have been taken out of their home and put somewhere they don’t know anything about,” Ms Healey said.
Another resident’s family member, who did not want to be named, said she left “shaking my head”.
“It went around and around. Those poor innocent people are just waiting,” she said.
The woman said she was now looking for alternative accommodation for her relative.
“I don’t think there is any future here,” she said.
“Karma will come to the people who caused this.”
At the meeting, the Federal Government announced an investigation would be led by health bureaucrat and former ACT chief minister Kate Carnell.
The Government was however unable to clarify how long the inquiry would take or when residents might be able to return.
Terms of reference in the inquiry would include residents’ safety, the contractual relationship between nursing home owner People Care and aged-care contractor HelpStreet, and if the breakdown put people at risk.
Speaking to the media, Member for Moncrieff Angie Bell said the situation was tragic. Ms Bell said the return of residents to their home was “up to the investigation, as the facility is not ready to take patients back”.
“The care of those residents is of primary importance and if the facility is not able to take them back it is more dangerous for them to come back.”
It was revealed police would not be laying charges.
Officers have investigated whether any criminal activity occurred when the residents were suddenly removed.
A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said detectives had finished their inquiry.
“Investigations have determined there was no evidence of any criminal offences being committed and there are no charges to be preferred against any person or organisation,” the spokeswoman said. “No further action will be undertaken by police unless additional information is received.”