The Inquiry’s terms of reference encompassed issues about the care and treatment provided to Aishwarya Aswath prior to her death in April 2021, the conduct of the root cause analysis undertaken at the Hospital following the death, ED staffing and patient flow models,...
Gemma McGrath
Mandatory Vaccination Requirements extend to Primary Health Care Workers
The Primary Health Care Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions (Directions) apply to all persons who provide health services to a patient at a primary health care facility. A primary health care facility is defined as including, but is not limited to, general...
Case Summary | Pharmacist suspended for not identifying altered scripts
The Background The Pharmacist’s dispensing came to the notice of the Department of Health in October 2018 when it was identified, through the SafeScript database, that from March 2015 to October 2018 she had supplied 52,368 tablets of codeine-containing analgesics by...
Unauthorised access of medical records leads to cancellation of registration
Over a period of several months in 2019, whilst working in the intensive care unit of a hospital, the nurse accessed the medical records of: her husband; two former partners of the husband; three children of the husband; and 27 people who had no apparent connection to...
Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for aged care workers
On 9 August 2021, in response to this announcement, the WA Government published the Residential Aged Care Facility Worker Access Directions (the Directions) to implement the mandatory vaccination of aged care workers. Residential Aged Care Facility Worker Access...
Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response No.1) Bill 2021
The Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response No.1) Bill 2021 (the Bill) makes urgent amendments to the Aged Care Act 1997 (the Aged Care Act) and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018 regarding: restrictive practices; home...
Doyle’s Guide recognises Panetta McGrath as a leading health and aged care firm
Panetta McGrath Lawyers is delighted to announce that our firm has once again been listed as a leading health and aged care firm in Doyle’s Guide Western Australia’s 2021 rankings. In addition to our firm ranking, David McMullen has again been recognised as a leading...
Is a mandatory vaccination policy a lawful and reasonable direction?
A significant decision from the Fair Work Commission (FWC) provides some useful guidance on the reasonableness and lawfulness of such policies, after the dismissal of an employee for refusing to take a free flu vaccine was upheld. Ms Bou-Jamie Barber v Goodstart Early...
New Serious Incident Response Scheme begins 1 April 2021 – Is your organisation ready?
These reportable incidents include: a. unreasonable use of force; b. unlawful sexual contact, or inappropriate sexual conduct; c. psychological or emotional abuse; d. the unexpected death of a resident or care recipient; e. stealing or financial coercion by a staff...
Aged Care Voluntary Industry Code of Conduct launched
The Aged Care Voluntary Industry Code of Conduct has now been launched. The Preamble states that the Code is designed to establish an aspirational framework that supports good governance and innovative, high-quality care and engagement through which: providers of aged...