Springhill Groups Home care for elderly to change

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Springhill Groups Home care for elderly to change

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THE future of the Home and Community Care
Services (HACC) program in Bundaberg is up in the
air with Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service
(WBHHS) considering privatising the service.
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It could come as soon as March this year, with
the final decision resting with the Federal
Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA).
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(No Transcript)
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WBHHS chief executive officer Adrian Pennington
said transferring the delivery of HACC services
to another provider was still a proposal but the
change could affect about 800 clients in the
Bundaberg region and 600 in the Fraser Coast.
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Mr Pennington said while clients could expect to
receive similar or equal level of care under a
new provider there were no guarantees the service
would remain free.
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"While it would be our preference for our
clients' sake to keep the service free, we are
unable to speculate what fees, if any, would be
applicable in future as this would be determined
by the new provider," he said.
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Mr Pennington said while clients could expect to
receive similar or equal level of care under a
new provider there were no guarantees the service
would remain free.
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"These clients will be notified of changes to the
service via a letter this week."HACC provides
many services including meals on wheels,
transport and nursing care to support older
people to stay at home and be more independent in
the community.
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When the NewsMail asked how many jobs could be at
risk Mr Pennington said "As the consultation
process with staff is ongoing, at this time I
consider it premature and inconsiderate to
discuss publicly staffing matters relating to
HACC services."
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He said a meeting had been held with staff last
week to provide help including contact details
for organisations including the Employee
Assistance Scheme.
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"We recognise this is a deeply unsettling time
for people and I want to offer my assurance that
we will support all staff and clients affected,"
he said.He said the details of the proposal
were still to be finalised.
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"We are yet to properly liaise further with the
Federal Department of Health and Ageing and the
Queensland Department of Community Safety (DCS)
as to what a transfer of services would involve,
and a suitable alternative provider in the Wide
Bay area is yet to be found."
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Mr Pennington said on January 14 the WBHHS board
supported a decision to stop the delivery of HACC
services by the end of March 2013.
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"However a transition process will be implemented
to guarantee the needs of all clients are
appropriately met throughout this time," he said.
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Meanwhile a public meeting was to be held in
Eidsvold last night to address the ongoing
concerns around the future of the local hospital
and the inability to attract permanent doctors.
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The meeting comes after Premier Campbell Newman
last week stepped in to reassure patients and
staff that Eidsvold Hospital would not close.