In reference to your article "Pioneer House Disgrace" Friday 15th March, I feel some questions have not been answered.

As a past member of staff with many years of experience in both working and managing Aged Care Facilities, I am shocked beyond words that Pioneer House, a once highly regarded Aged Care Facility in Mudgee, with a great reputation for the wonderful care it delivered, is now being sanctioned.

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This is a disastrous outcome for any Aged Care Facility and will prove to be exceedingly difficult to overcome.

There are only three questions that the residents, their families, staff and the community need answered.

The answers must be clear, concise and without spin.

1. Did the Board properly resource its CEO to meet the operational responsibilities?

2. If the CEO was properly resourced by the Board why were there so many Accreditation Standards not met?

3. Why did the Board not identify the lack of compliance, which is an essential part of their oversight and Governance?

Sanctions are not imposed unless serious breaches and risks to residents have occurred or identified.

Being Sanctioned does not happen without warning!!!

There are practices and systems in place which should have sounded alarm bells to Management and the Board, long before this happened.

I highly commend staff members who must present a happy face to the residents and do such a tremendous job!