Sabina and Rose
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Sabina wrote to the Royal Commission about Rose, her daughter. Rose is in her early 20s, has cerebral palsy and autism, and loves to keep active and fit. She enjoys horse riding and other activities that implement her physio exercises. She recently started to learn the piano, which is also building fine motor skills necessary to use her augmentative and alternative communication device independently.
About 10 years ago, however, Rose went through a difficult time. She sustained a severe break in her arm which led to several months of hospitalisation over an eight-month period. During this time, Sabina says, there were several weeks when Rose was hospitalised even though she did not need to be, due to insufficient community funded homecare supports.
During one of Rose’s periods of hospitalisation, Sabina and Rose experienced ‘bullying and deliberate failing of duty of care’ from nursing staff. ‘I can only guess this was an attempt to make us leave to free up the hospital bed,’ Sabina said.
Late one afternoon – it was after close of business for a long weekend – nursing staff came into Rose’s room and said that the physio and occupational therapist had instructed that no further support would be provided by nursing staff for transfers from bed, toilet or the shower, and that Sabina would have to provide all transfer support for Rose for the rest of her stay. Yet, just that morning, Sabina had received an email from the hospital physio identifying that Rose required two people to actively support her with all transfers to ensure safety.
‘Fortunately,’ said Sabina, ‘I had significant knowledge of Work Health and Safety laws and understood the hospital’s obligation and liability risks. The behaviour of the nursing staff on the surgical ward that evening was negligent and bullying abuse’.
Rose had only been transferred from the paediatric ward days earlier, so Sabina went to see the nurses there. The paediatric nurse intervened and explained to the nurses that Rose needed two-person support for transfers.
Sabina waited with Rose in her room but ‘still no‐one came to support Rose,’ Sabina said.
‘At that point I decided that I would assist Rose with continence support in her hospital bed rather than risk a fall attempting to support her by myself … Mitigating falls risk was my initial concern and constipation and bowel care would have to be addressed the next day.
‘I believe the Surgical Ward Nurse waited till close of business so I would have no‐one to contact for support, what they did not bank on was that I had contact details for [an advocacy agency] outside of business hours who helped me process how to address this situation.’
When the nursing staff changed shift at 10 pm, Sabina asked to see Rose’s medical records. This was refused. Then Sabina spoke with the hospital night manager, who reviewed the directive not to provide nursing support to Rose and overrode it immediately, organising nursing support for transfers.
For Sabina this demonstrates the importance of patients and supporters understanding their rights and the responsibilities of medical professionals, and the value of strong advocacy.
‘Many people would not have had the knowledge of work health and safety laws to have a good understanding of rights and the responsibility of the hospital,’ says Sabina.
‘Ongoing funding for disability advocacy services independent of NDIS is absolutely paramount to building capacity for people with disabilities and their family members. Without [an advocacy agency] building my capacity for nearly 2 decades I would not have had the skills to minimise risks others have put [Rose] in.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.