Meeting of 8th July

The first meeting of the Rotary year was a big one, with 20 members and 11 guests on hand to hear guest speaker Barbara Carney give a truly engaging and thought-provoking talk.

Business of the evening was kept to a minimum but included:

• Director badges for new board members will be given out next week as they were unfortunately neglected on changeover night.
• Ivan Munro’s family home recently burnt down, with all possessions lost, thankfully the home was empty at the time and no one was hurt. If you have any furniture or other goods that can help the family please contact President Wayne and coordinate donations.
• The street raffle outside the newsagents is this weekend. Big thank you to those that helped cut the wood for the raffle: Dick, John B, Don, Ted, and Wayne. Roster for the raffle is below
• Myffy made a suggestion of holding a movie night at the Gamain football club  in conjunction with the Narrandera Rotary club as a fund-raising event in September or October. If you would like to be a part of this please contact Myffy.
• Did you know that plastic milk bottle lids can actually be recycled to make prosthetics for children in developing nations who have unfortunately lost limbs? A recycling drive has been started in Ganmain so start saving those bottle caps. Our guest speakers on the 22 July will have more information.
• The shed at the show ground is coming along. The slab was set to go down on Tuesday.

Guest Speaker Barbara Carney

Coolamon Rotary members and their guests were very privileged to hear from Barbra Carney on her role in the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety as a senior policy advisor.
Barbara began her talk by outlining that a royal commission is only called for when things are really ‘stuffed up’ and there are ‘system-wide failures’. In the case of the royal commission into aged care, the problems were highlighted by the conditions in an aged care facility called Oakden in South Australia, in which the chief psychiatrist, in support of family members, blew the whistle on the facility’s ongoing abuse and neglect which had been documented and not acted upon, as reported to the ABC’s 7:30 report.

The fallout from this was the public call for government to pass the bill for a royal commission into aged care in October of last year.  On passing the bill, the Honourable Richard Tracey AM RFD QC and Ms Lynelle Briggs AO were  appointed as Royal Commissioners, both of whom see this as the most important work they have ever done and envisage that the outcomes of their report will have lasting impact over the next 40 to 50 years. The terms of reference for the royal commission include but are not limited to

• Quality of care
• Meeting the needs of the elderly in care
• Prevalence of sub-standard care
• Causes of systemic failure
• How to deliver care to those with dementia and the disabled receiving care (both old and young)
• Challenges of economic access and quality in all areas including regional, rural and remote
• Person-focused care that allows for choice, control and independence
• Communication with families
• Sustainable services
• Anything the commissioners deem relevant – giving them the freedom to expand the terms of reference as issues arise.

Barbra has extensive experience in the aged care field, having worked for ministers and government as a policy advisor. Consequently when commissioners put in requests to hire policy advisors, Commissioner Lynelle called upon Barbra to act as one of five senior policy advisors, who combined have over 300 years of experience. Barbra’s primary focus is on the terms of reference related to end of life, palliative care and person-centered care, which sees the those receiving care as a person and not a consumer which unfortunately has become a dominant ethos in society and government of late.

Barbra then went on to outline her general impressions on what the main issues are in the aged care sector, stating that many of the problems stem from layers of policy and bureaucracy that have been built up over time, creating inconsistencies in the nature and quality of care, complexity in funding arrangements and the requirements for assessment of facilities. Consequently this bureaucracy creates much more chances for things to go wrong with both for-profit and not-for-profits care providers succumbing to the bureaucratic inertia. Barbra also stated that despite this top heavy bureaucracy, the inquiry found many instances of high quality care and service that can be used as exemplars of care.

Barbra then went on to explain the inquiry process outlining that every submission to the royal commission is addressed and, as senior policy advisor, Barbra has a role in reviewing submissions and helping the commissioners and other staff to  develop lines of inquiry based upon her experience. She then went on to describe both formal hearings and community forums. In formal hearings the process was much like a court case though not quite as adversarial, with witnesses able to be called. In community forums, the setting is typically a community center and much more informal. She indicated that at this point there is likely to be a community forum in Wagga Wagga next year and that the commissioners are dedicated to hearing from people west of the great divide.

The interim report on the Royal Commission is due in October and Barbra urged all present to engage with it as this report is written for the public to use to address the issues in aged care and apply pressure to government, stating that the royal commission is ‘for the people’ and that it will ‘shine light into the darkest corners’.

Barbra then answered questions, some of which were on the assessment process. Barbra outlined that there are approximately 150 aged care assessors and that up until recently assessors gave notice  on when they were going to inspect a facility, with foreseeable results that the facility would be ‘prepared’ for their arrival. Guest Simone Fuller, manager of Allawah Lodge, said that the staff at Allawah found the assessment process extensive and very collegiate, with she and her staff taking on board the feedback gained from the assessment process. Barbra indicated that such a response from a care facility was the most exemplary case that the commission has found.

Barbra wrapped up the talk by saying that to be a part of the Royal Commission has been the greatest privilege of her career and encouraged all present to make submission  on any and all aspects of aged care they felt relevant, both positive and negative, and attend community forums to make sure that the public voice is heard.

Dates and locations of Community forums can be found and Submission can made via the link below

Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety

 

 

 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Which famous person said this?

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”

The author of last week’s quote was Clint Eastwood.

 

 

JUST FOR LAUGHS

DIARY

Thursday, 11 July – Bingo. Allawah Community Centre, 6:45-10:00.  Roster: Wayne (Captain), Sarah, John B, Alex.

Saturday, 13 July – Street raffle. Coolamon Newsagency. Prize is a trailer load of wood. Roster: 6:30-8:30, Don & Howard; 8:30-10:30, Paul & Bernadette; 10:30-12:00, Sarah & Alex.

Wednesday, 17 July – Rotary Board meeting 7:00pm

*Monday, 22 July – Speaker meeting. Guest speakers: Karen Fryer and Michelle Booth about the milk bottle top recycling project. Coolamon Sport & Rec Club, 6:30 for 7:00 pm.

September 20-22 Australian New Zealand Rotary Conference, Christchurch.

Friday, 4th October  – Fannie Lumsden concert in Old Junee. Tickets cost $30.

* denotes partner & guest night

 

REMINDERS

Please get your working with children check completed and give the number and expiry date to the secretary ASAP. Failure to do so may mean you are not covered insurance wise when you volunteer at events.

Subs are now due.

 

July is New Leadership Month