Deinstitutionalisation by State. Paper for Minister for Health Ray Groom 1988

State by State briefing of de-institutionalisation. 1988 full paper

AN OVERVIEW OF THE DEINSTITUTIONALISATION OF SERVICES TO THE INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED IN  AUSTRALIA

New South Wales
In 1983 the New South Wales Department of Health began to implement the “Richmond Programme” to deinstitutionalise services to people with intellectual disabilities and the psychiatrically ill. By March 1988 over 390 intellectually disabled people had been moved out of institutions into community group homes and plans were being implemented for many more. At the same time a network of community-based services had been established included diagnostic and professional support teams, day activity centres and respite care services. There had been some industrial difficulty with this programme and some public resistance, most of which related to the deinstitutionalisation of people with psychiatric disabilities. The new Liberal Government in New South Wales has placed a freeze on the Richmond Programme and promised that the hospitals which had been threatened with closure will not be closed.

Western Australia

Western Australia’s one traditional institution for people who are intellectually disabled was “Swanborne Hospital”. This was run down and closed in the period 1979-1984 when the 350 residents were moved into hostels and group homes. During the 1960s a group of hostels had been built in an area known as “Pyrton”. This is now regarded as being too much like an institution and programmes have been developed for the residents to be moved into group homes and other non-institutional services.

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RIGHT CLICK MOUSE ON PICTURE AND OPEN IN NEW TAB TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Swanbourne Hospital Revival ABC (Claremont Hospital) Museum being created.

 

 

 

 

Queensland

The Queensland Government has a firm commitment to deinstitutionalisation and to the development of its “Alternative Living services” within its Intellectual Handicap Services Branch (which was recently transferred from the Department of Health to the Department of Community Welfare). There are two major State institutions in Queensland. Challinor Centre at Ipswich now has a population of 280 and it is planned that this will be reduced to 180 by 1990. The Basil Stafford Institution in Wacol has reduced its population to 157.

The predominant strategy has been to move residents into Government managed group homes. However, a number of non-government agencies have received 90% deficit funding of operating costs to provide group home services.

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Challinor Centre at Ipswich

 

South Australia

South Australia has three institutions for people with intellectual disabilities – Strathmont (News report 2011) is a State institution with approximately 530 beds. It has a policy of admitting only one person for every three discharged. Minda is a non-government institution with a population just under 500 beds. Plans for its down-sizing are in hand. Ru Rua Nursing Home is a State-owned and managed nursing home for 91 severely multiply disabled younger people. A joint Commonwealth/State programme has been commenced and is placing all residents in four-bed group homes. This institution will be closed in the near future.

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory does not have any institutions for people with intellectual disability. Several “cottages” with up to six beds have been established for people with severe or multiple disabilities.

Victoria

The Victorian Government commissioned a “Ten Year Plan for the Redevelopment of Intellectual Disability Services”. The interim report has proposed that community support services should be developed which will enable the closure of all institutions. Wide-ranging public consultations have taken place over this report and a final set of recommendations to Government is expected to be ready by May 1988. In recent years the 200 bed St. Nicholas Hospital has been closed and all community residential units have been established and a number of community based demonstration projects have been commenced. Funding to community based support teams for people with intellectual disabilities has been increased. The number of beds in institutions is reducing.

On of St Nicholas Hospital’s more famous past resident is Anne McDonald, you can read her full story by right clicking HERE and opening in a new tab

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By Biatch at en.wikipedia (Own work Transferred from en.wikipedia) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

 

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Whats new?

royal derwent report 001Glad you asked. We have started to scan the Board of Inquiry Report into the Royal Derwent Hospital and Millbrook Rise and load it onto our new tab. So far we have “witness 9’s” account of a staff smacking a child. Each witness was cross-examined in this formal hearing as were those accused of mistreatment and those that had seniority within the management structure. Some cases were dismissed and some were found to be correct accounts of what had occurred. The document draws heavily from the xerox transcript of evidence given by each participant. The Board had the power to summons witnesses to give evidence and it was clear that this was used to get reluctant witnesses to be interviewed and cross-examined. While there are many mixed views of the Hospital and it’s care provision throughout it’s life there were many inquiries both formal and in-formal held during the life of the institution.

Changes to our name has brought us into a new faze, Willow Court History Group instead of Willow Court Advocacy Group means that the evolution continues as we grow and expand. Now with over 530 members on the Willow Court Facebook page and group means we can watch and participate in the restoration and gathering of historical documents, films, photos and interviews. Telling the rich social history of the human struggle from both Staff and Residents alike. C lick the picture (right) to go to the Report Tab

cropped-WCC-header1.jpgWe have change the header on all the webpages to the original letter head used on official documentation from Willow Court Centre. This has already brought back memories for some staff that are members of the group. We have also changed the introduction page and will slowly change all documentation to reflect our new name and ideals.

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Minutes Willow Court Review 1988

Articles Page Free documentation about Willow Court.

Previously unreleased and unpublished:

Notes of meeting held to discuss the outcomes of the institutional living program review on Tuesday 17 May 1988

Discussions about staffing arrangements from both Management and Staff representatives around the future of the Institutional Living Program. This paper outlines some of the actions and proposals for closure of wards and opening of Group homes. Present are Willow Court Management, Health Commission Management and Unions and professional bodies representing the very different levels of the workforce at Willow Court.

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Circular to staff of Willow Court Training Centre.

Click Here for the full document on the Articles page

18th May, 1988 Circular to staff of Willow Court announcing the closure of C Ward and the opening of group houses. This 4 page documents tells staff about the upcoming major change at Willow Court Training Centre. It gives a background briefing to the proposed changes and the timing for the “phased relocation of residents”. It concludes with a staffing proposal for each house. Signed by the late Jerry Von Bamberger, Superintendent/Chief Executive Officer.

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Report of the Board of Inquiry

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These are three volumes and form part of the final unpublished report from the Board of Inquiry into the treatment practices at Royal Derwent Hospital and Mill Brook Rise Hospitals. Concluded approximately in 1979 the report heard from a number of parents and witnesses that had issues with the treatment and the duty of care of the hospital staff. Each witness was cross-examined in this formal hearing as were those accused of mistreatment and those that had seniority within the management structure. Some cases were dismissed and some were found to be correct accounts of what had occurred. The document draws heavily from the xerox transcript of evidence given by each participant. The Board had the power to summons witnesses to give evidence and it was clear that this was used to get reluctant witness to be interviewed and cross-examined. While there are many mixed views of the Hospital and it’s care provision throughout it’s life there were many inquiries both formal and in-formal held in the life of the institution.

Susan Piddock is an Australian renowned published author and authority on Australian Asylums and is studying Asylums throughout Australia. She has a keen interest in comparing institutions that started from a Convict past to those that had a free settler past as she believes there are key fundamental differences in the care provided through to the look and feel of the buildings. While that history is being written within academic circles the general history of each institution around Australia is being written, often by ex-staff who have/had a passion for the care provision given to patients who were admitted to institutions such as Royal Derwent Hospital.

One of my questions has always been, who is writing the history? It is often said that the victor writes the history of any human struggle and so that history will reflect one view, one perception of events. Often the patients that attended such institutions could not write the history and still would be limited to do so. This is were these documents come into play because they offer an evidence based and cross examined view of the events, judged by people whom have the qualifications, impartiality and experience to write this part of the history.

Of coarse there has to be a context and the documented witnesses even testify to the hard work and dedication of the majority of staff providing care withing these institutions. Also there needs to be a context of time around these documents, what was acceptable practice at the time and what is now? While many would view these documents as negative, they are part of the history, as mixed as it was. They serve the voiceless patients of this institution and those like it by looking into and investigating complaints, verifying and validating some experience and clearing the institution of any wrong doing in other cases.

Is this only valid for historical institutional settings or is it still valid today? It has become clear that where there are vulnerable people their will be abuse, it is a history that is still repeating it self today as it was in 1979 or 1879 for that matter. Resent cases in the United Kingdom serve as clear examples of abuse to a vulnerable population. So if the majority of people don’t participate in abusing actions or cover ups, why don’t they speak out? It is said that up to 70% of people will not get involved when there is an abuse being perpetrated and most fear in someway for reprisals should they step up to the mark and become that witness. History has also told that this is possible and probable when strong and aggressive personalities are allowed to permeate a care setting.

Undercover Care: The Abuse Exposed was a classic case of a workplace culture that was out of control and dominated by a small number of staff.  Elder Abuse; Panorama BBC was another care provider that was exposed as delivering services that were abusing and less then best practice. Yet in an interview with Doctor Sheridan Forster in 2010 Dr Forster expressed that the best care provider for people with multiple learning disabilities PMLD that she has witnessed was an institution in the Netherlands. Dr Forster is one of Australia’s leading Academics in the support of PMLD here in Australia and has traveled and studied extensively in many countries. So it is not the institution that is abusive but the culture within a workplace/home that leads to less then best practices.

How does a care provider ensure that every step is taken to never expose a vulnerable person to abuse? We have criminal police checks, which most places, if not already mandatory, will have a policy and procedure in place to eliminate potential staff with relevant histories that have been historically exposed. Regular and unannounced visits from family, management and advocates should be welcomed in any care establishment and should be embedded within the culture of the home. A connection between the ever increasing divide of staff and management should be encouraged and employment practices should be reviewed inline with the latest evidence base practice. Strong laws that allow people with disabilities, especially those with intellectual disabilities to participate within the legal system. Whistle blower policy and procedures and independent investigation of suspicions activity and allegations should be funded and available. Support staff should also educate people to communicate about abuse when they recognise it.

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