Mudgee will be the only regional NSW location host to a hearing as part of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A Royal Commission into anything is never a comfortable undertaking. But they're absolutely essential. This one, a long-overdue probing into the standards and practices of aged care in Australia will no doubt unearth a lot of shocking, infuriating and sadenning cases of neglect at facilities around the country.
As you read this, one of the public meetings may be already underway at Club Mudgee with several more following on Tuesday. These are your chance to have your say, share your experiences and hear from others who have been a part of the industry.
When the Mudgee Guardian reported that a local aged care provider had sanctions placed on it for non-compliance earlier in the year - I received a deluge of feedback from people all around the region who came to me with their own stories and thank yous for the coverage.
Sadly, too often the systems in place fail those who need it the most. People feel helpless or are afraid to speak up, especially those in permanent or semi-permanent care.
In other instances, staff are often given little to work with and the shortcomings are despite the best efforts of the workers.
We will hear these stories in the news and hopefully that will be the first step towards a time when we can safely assume the best of the organisations we entrust with the care of our most loved family members.
It is worth noting too, that by far, the majority of the care facilities in Australia are looking after their residents and follow the strict rules and codes put in place to make sure people are looked after to the level they deserve.
It's our role as journalists to bring these things to the public's attention and force action like the Royal Commission to take place. Because if nobody spoke up, we wouldn't be having this discussion and around the country, people would still be suffering.
Taken from the official website:
For all Community Meetings please RSVP by email: ACRCengagement@royalcommission.gov.au or telephone: 1800 960 711, indicating what time you would like to attend and your interest in aged care.
