FED: Mandatory background, spot checks for aged care workers

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2006
FED: Mandatory background, spot checks for aged care workers

SYDNEY, April 10 AAP - Aged care workers will be subjected to mandatory background
checks and surprise visits by the sector's regulator under a $3.7 billion package to reform
the industry.

The changes, to be announced by Minister for Aging Santo Santoro today, are designed
to protect the elderly and improve nursing home standards.

It follows recent revelations of a series of assaults on the elderly, including a series
of sexual assaults in a Victorian nursing home.

Senator Santoro told The Australian newspaper that workers with previous convictions
for sexual or indecent assault or serious assault against vulnerable people would be banned
from working in the sector.

"People with convictions for other offences may also be excluded from working with
older people," he said.

The government was also considering beefing up the powers of the Aged Care Complaints
Resolution Scheme and phasing in more frequent spot checks, Senator Santoro said.

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KEYWORD: AGED

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