Red tape stopped nurse's evacuation
06.03.2008
A BREAKDOWN in communications has been blamed for the failure by Queensland Health to evacuate a nurse raped on a remote Torres Strait island.
In a further humiliating backdown, the department yesterday paid the nurse for the first time since she was raped on Mabuiag Island on February 5, while sleeping in hopelessly insecure quarters that bureaucrats had refused to fix.
The Australian revealed yesterday that the 27-year-old nurse from rural NSW had to arrange her own evacuation after she was told by her superiors on Thursday Island that any days away from Mabuiag would be deducted from her leave.
She could not catch the only commercial flight from Mabuiag because she was giving her statement to police and the perpetrator was still at large. The victim's partner was forced to charter a plane from Horn Island to pick her up and arrange for her to receive medical treatment.
The nurse was told she would not be paid by Queensland Health after the rape occurred because she had made a worker's compensation claim. That decision was reversed yesterday after it was revealed in The Australian.
Northern Area Health Service general manager Roxanne Ramsey said the nurse was on a three-month temporary contract that expired on February 28. ``Due to an error, she was not paid after February 5,'' Ms Ramsey said.
``The district has now moved to rectify this, and she will be paid through until February 28, which is the end of her contract. We understand a Work Cover claim is under consideration.''
Ms Ramsey said the Health Service District was notified of the assault at 7am on February 5, about four hours after the attack.
``There was a local breakdown in communications in organising for her to be taken from the island,'' she said.
``Initial investigations reveal that appropriate responses were not activated as swiftly as possible. As a result, processes are being reviewed to ensure firm contingencies are in place in the future.''
Health Minister Stephen Robertson said accommodation standards for health staff on remote islands would be lifted to the standard that guaranteed the employees' personal security.
The Queensland Nurses Union has issued the state Government an ultimatum to fix what it describes as appalling and unsafe facilities within a month or nurses will withdraw their services from the communities.
The Queensland Teachers Union yesterday signalled its dissatisfaction with accommodation provided in remote communities for its members, who would meet on Saturday to consider proposals for the Government.
The union is expected to demand facilities be made safe.
Colleagues of the rape victim yesterday blasted the department for its tardy response and lack of compassion.
``This is the Health Department that has at its disposal Medivac teams, helicopters, the Royal Flying Doctor Service -- yet they let one of our nurses stay in dangerously inadequate conditions and procrastinated ... when they heard she'd been the victim of a vicious assault,'' a senior nurse said.
``We are just hoping ... she gets a good lawyer and takes them to the cleaners.''
