13 AUGUST 2012 JUDGMENTS Victoria. Coroners Court of Victoria
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13 AUGUST 2012 JUDGMENTS Victoria. Coroners Court of Victoria 071109 Joan Ambrose (PDF 1MB) The inquest into the death of Joan Ambrose was to determine if Noble Manor, the aged care facility of which Mrs Ambrose was a resident, had contributed to her death. Joan Ambrose died on 7 February 2009. On the day in question Joan Ambrose wandered outside into a secure courtyard. She was found three hours later. The State of Victoria was suffering from an extreme heat wave at the time and State and Federal Agencies as well as the Premier of Victoria had issued warnings and advice to aged care facilities regarding resident care. These included monitoring the whereabouts of residents, especially if they had access to outdoor areas such as courtyards. The Coroner considered the issues surrounding the door through which Mrs Ambrose exited and the new staffing arrangement which had been implemented that day. At the time of Mrs Ambrose's death all doors were locked from the outside and couldn't be opened unless someone gave access from inside. New staffing arrangements which came into place on 7 February saw only three, instead of three, personal care assistants on duty between 1 and 3 pm. The Coroner found that Mrs Ambrose died as a result of ischaemic heart disease and heat exposure in a setting of underlying cerebro-vascular disease following her exit into the courtyard. The Coroner also found that failure to make appropriate plans to protect residents and the change to staffing arrangements contributed to Mrs Ambrose's death. The Coroner recommended that aged care facilities be required to have emergency management plans to control exit/entry points to prevent the unsupervised departure of residents during heat waves and to include appropriate staffing levels in the plans. REPORTS Australia. Department of Health & Ageing Media releases 9 August 2012 - New appointments to Cancer Australia’s Advisory Council - Three new members have been appointed to the Cancer Australia Advisory Council, along with the reappointment of five current members. 9 August 2012 - Students to Learn Mental Health Crisis Signs - Minister for Mental Health, Mark Butler and Member for Grayndler, Anthony Albanese today launched the new R U OK? at School program to raise awareness of mental health issues. 8 August 2012 - First Sod Turned on New Hospital for Eastern Perth - Australian Health Minister, Tanya Plibersek joined Senator Glenn Sterle and Western Australian Deputy Premier, Kim Hames to turn the first sod of a new $360 million hospital campus in Perth. 8 August 2012 - Minister welcomes How Australia is faring report - Minister for Social Inclusion, Mark Butler says the Australian Social Inclusion Board’s 2012 How Australia is faring report tells a compelling story about our progress as a nation. Asbestos - A guide for householders and the general public - Frequently asked questions 7 August 2012 - NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Register Changes Welcomed - People in New South Wales will now register for organ donation through a single national register thanks to the decision to decommission the New South Wales register. 7 August 2012 - Partners in Recovery Program Moves Closer - Minister for Mental Health, Mark Butler has released funding guidelines for the Federal Government’s $549.8 million mental health program Partners in Recovery. 5 August 2012 - Patients Beware: Drug Companies Increase Prices for Some Brands of Medicines - Patients should shop around for their brand of medicine following price increases imposed by pharmaceutical companies on 85 brands of medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). 3 August 2012 - National Aged Care Conference Goes Live - Industry experts and advocates will descend on Adelaide to talk all things ageing at the 2012 National Aged Care Conference. 3 August 2012 - Mates to Drive Suicide Prevention on Construction Sites - Minister for Mental Health, Mark Butler announced a $5.24 million national suicide prevention program, Mates in Construction, at a construction industry conference in South Australia. Australian Human Rights Commission A human rights approach for ageing and health - Respect and choice: home-based and residential care for older people - Australia is experiencing a demographic shift with life expectancy 25 years longer than it was a century ago. We are seeing an increase in the size of the older population in Australia as a result. This lengthened life expectancy is to be celebrated. But it comes with challenges, with a substantial impact on Australia’s health system and the aged care sector. In April 2012, the Federal Government released its aged care reform agenda. This was in response to the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into aged care services in Australia. This position paper outlines a human rights approach for the implementation of the aged care reforms. Australia. Private Health Insurance Administration Council (PHIAC) Review of Solvency and Capital Adequacy Standards - 02 August 2012 - PHIAC Reviews Solvency and Capital Adequacy Standards Australia. Department of Finance & Deregulation. Office of Best Practice Regulation 3 August 2012 - Outsourcing Standard for Private Health Insurers – Regulation Impact Statement – Private Health Insurance Administration Council - On 9 July 2012, PHIAC made the Private Health Insurance (Insurer Obligations) Amendment Rule 2012 (No.1) to establish minimum best practice requirements for outsourcing arrangements for registered private health insurers. Outsourcing is common practice in the private health insurance industry with significant functions being performed by third parties and entities within insurers’ corporate groups. This can create problems including posing a risk to consumers if their private health insurer enters into a risky outsourcing arrangement. The new outsourcing requirements sets out the arrangements that private health insurers will need to comply with in relation to the selection, engagement and monitoring of outsourcing and the associated risk management practices. A Regulation Impact Statement was prepared by PHIAC and has been assessed as adequate by the Office of Best Practice Regulation. Outsourcing Standard for Private Health Insurers RIS - Outsourcing Standard for Private Health Insurers RIS Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) & the Boards 9 August 2012 - The Chinese Medicine Board of Australia releases its latest Communiqué. | Read Article 8 August 2012 - National Boards release quarterly registration data. | Read Article 6 August 2012 - The AHPRA business plan and service charter are now available. | Read Article 3 August 2012 - The Optometry Board of Australia releases its latest Communiqué. | Read Article 3 August 2012 - The Pharmacy Board has released its updated Code of Conduct after consultation. | Read Article 3 August 2012 - The Pharmacy Board of Australia releases its latest Communiqué. | Read Article 3 August 2012 - The Podiatry Board of Australia releases its latest Communiqué. | Read Article 2 August 2012 - The Osteopathy Board of Australia releases its latest Communiqué. | Read Article Australian Commission on Safety & Quality in Health Care On the Radar – 6 August 2012 – Issue 91 (88KB) Australian Institute of Health & Welfare 10 August 2012 - Juvenile justice in Australia 2010-11: an overview - media release 9 August 2012 - National Community Services Data Dictionary, version 7, 2012 8 August 2012 - Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set 2012-13: specifications and collection manual 6 August 2012 - National social housing survey: state and territory results 2010 Australia. National Health & Medical Research Council 6 August 2012 - $7.4 Million for Three Mental Health Research Centres 6 August 2012 - $7.5 Million for Three Indigenous Health Research Centres Australia. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) 8 August 2012 - Business rules for reduced assessment fees for IVDs - Version 1.1 released. 7 August 2012 - The Poisons Standard (the SUSMP) - Updated information. 7 August 2012 - Advisory Committee on Non-prescription Medicines (ACNM) - Cancellation of ACNM meeting of 6 September 2012. 6 August 2012 - Health Essentials Australia Pty Ltd (Complaint No. 2010-10-016) - Decision in relation to an advertisement about the product "Happy Feet Detox Patches". 6 August 2012 - Malouf Industries Pty Ltd (Complaint No. 2010-04-022) - Decision in relation to an advertisement about the product "AcuScen". 6 August 2012 - TGA prescription medicines SSP newsletter - The TGA would like to inform stakeholders about the reassessment of the TGA prescriptions medicines SSP newsletter. 6 August 2012 - LaCorium Health Australia Pty Ltd (Complaint No. 2010-09-012) - Decision in relation to an advertisement about the product "Crampeze Night Cramps". 6 August 2012 - Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Ltd (Complaint No. 2011/06/001) - Decision in relation to an advertisement about the product "Nurofen". 3 August 2012 - Interpreting information on the Database of Adverse Event Notifications - TGA is concerned by a media story that may mislead consumers and could potentially discourage them from receiving influenza vaccinations. 3 August 2012 - The TGA decision to ban DMAA - The TGA has banned the use of the chemical 1,3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA). 3 August 2012 - New ingredient names available for metal amino acid chelates - Updated information. 3 August 2012 - Documents released under Section 11C of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) - Added FOI 356-1112; 351-1112