Findings against Peninsula Village

The Department of Health and Ageing has found that the Peninsula Village Retirement Centre failed to report an alleged sexual assault within 24 hours, has employed staff without current police checks and has supplied misleading information about police checks.

Nine staff at Peninsula Village Retirement Centre have been stood down pending police checks and its director of nursing has been dismissed from her position, after a formal notice of non-compliance was issued.

The Federal Minister for Ageing Ms Justine Elliot has now called on the independent aged care commissioner Ms Rhonda Parker to personally examine the department's handling of previous complaints at Peninsula Village.

The examination will include visiting the facility and meeting family members as well as examining the actions of the Department of Health and Ageing Complaints Investigation Scheme and its predecessor, the Complaints Resolution Scheme, Ms Elliot said.

Director of nursing Ms Ingrid Farrell was dismissed on October 30, after the nursing home was issued with the notice of non-compliance by the Minister.

It was revealed by Peninsula Village on October 21, that two staff members had been sacked following allegations of the sexual assault of two elderly residents.

The two separate incidents were alleged to have occurred more than four weeks ago.

Complaints investigation officers from the Department made an unannounced visit to the Village on October 22.

The Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency identified nine staff with expired police checks on October 24.

Ms Elliot said those staff without proper police checks had been stood down by the nursing home.

"Police checks are important," Ms Elliot said.

"Police checks are about preventing people with serious criminal convictions working with frail and aged people."

Ms Elliot said under the Aged Care Act, nursing homes are currently required to conduct police checks on staff with unsupervised access to residents.

Directors and senior management of Peninsula Village met with the Aged Care Standards Accreditation Agency on October 30, and received the agency's Review Audit Major Findings.

The audit reviewed the facility on the 44 expected outcomes of the accreditation standards. Against two of those standards Peninsula Village was found to be non-compliant.

Peninsula Village chairman of the board Mr Darrell Pannowitz said the board took immediate steps to address the findings of the Aged Care Standards Accreditation Agency.

"As chairman of the board at Peninsula Village, I am very disappointed that our procedures were not rigorously followed," Mr Pannowitz said.

"It is our responsibility to ensure we have up-to-date background checks on all our staff. "Under the circumstances, the board has decided to dismiss the director of nursing.

"On behalf of the board and the staff, I apologise to the residents for the lapse in our procedures.

"I know the events of the last month have created anxiety among residents and their families and I sincerely regret the concern that has been caused.

"The Peninsula Village remains committed to the care of its 336 residents, as it has done for over 30 years."

Mr Pannowitz said police were still continuing with its investigations into two allegations of sexual assault at Peninsula Village.

Press release, 30 Oct 2008 Justine Elliot, Minister for Ageing Press release, 30 Oct 2008 Michael Ward, Professional Public Relations