Witnesses to appear at royal commission from February

The first witnesses in the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will begin giving evidence from February, the commission has announced.

The first witnesses in the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will begin giving evidence from February, the commission has announced.

Details of those hearings will be available early in the new year and a spokeswoman told Community Care Review witnesses could also expect to be notified around that time.

Richard Tracey

Commissioners will set out their vision for the operation of what will be a wide-ranging inquiry into the aged care sector at a preliminary public hearing in Adelaide on Friday, January 18 when proceedings officially get underway.

Senior Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission will also make a brief opening statement at that hearing, which will kick off at 10am at the Roma Mitchel Commonwealth Law Court Building.

The government announced on Tuesday that former federal court judge Richard Tracey had been  appointed as commissioner following Justice Joseph McGrath’s request to be excused from the role for family reasons.

Mr Tracey begins in the role immediately, joining co-commissioner Lynelle Briggs who was appointed following the establishment of the royal commission on 8 October.

All commonwealth-approved aged care providers have already been requested to make early submissions to the commission detailing all instances of poor care and complaints since 2013, due by 7 January for the largest 100 providers and by 8 February for the remaining organisations (read more here.)

The commission is required to submit an interim report by 31 October 2019 and the final report by 30 April 2020.

Reports, statistics and other information relating to the aged care sector over the past 10 to 15 years are available on the commission’s website, which will also carry a live stream of hearings.

Read more; Providers told to set up ‘war room’

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Tags: aged-care-royal-commission, Richard Tracey, witnesses,

2 thoughts on “Witnesses to appear at royal commission from February

  1. I was in an aged care home for 18 months at 60 what I saw there was terrible but got out then and am looking after myself have an AgedCare package now but still vist a friend in that home Has a walker that still has dust all over it No brakes She is in her nineties and nearly blind I have seen her with my carer in dirty cloths I have slipped on a greasy chip Seen a dirty ham sandwich on her floor that’s been there for days and lately a big chocolate chip cookie on them floor squashed They take her to a shopping centre with others with her walker with no brakes I have made comments and they said I couldn’t come and see her so I shut up I have bought her clothes and they are replaced with second hand clothes I hate that place but she needs to see me and I live her as a daughter I have
    more to say but get to upset

  2. I have worked in Aged care with some residents who have a varied degree of dementia plus other Acquired brain conditions at residential and community facilities, as a Lifestyle coordinator(diversional therapist) and as assistant lifestyle worker. During that time I observed many areas of concern of residents mental health and general well being and happiness Dealing with behaviors was one huge area for concern.

    I believe part of the solution lies in better training for staff to manage these difficult areas and to be trained how to avoid these situations from occurring. Prevention rather than relying on cure, which is often over medication or increased anxiety, anger, depression and isolation.

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