News Extra

This page has more information about events included in the newsletters as well as things that missed the newsletter. Also see the Parish Calendar.

Contents

Events

Announcments

Aged Care matters

Events

St Mark's First Semester Commencement Service & Lecture 2012

Do Australian Muslims want 'Sharia' Law in this country?

Mehemet Olzap is a writer, academic and community activist. He is the Founder and Director of the Islamic Science and Research Academy. He established and currently teaches the Islamic Studies program at Charles Sturt University and is the Muslim Chaplain at the University of Sydney and Macquarie University.

28 February 2012
7.30pm Evening Prayer
8.00pm Commencement Lecture
Followed by light refreshments and the launch of Mehmet's new book Islam between tradition and modernity: an Australian perspective.

Inquiries stmarksadmin@csu.edu.au 6272 6252

Ecumenical Service for the Feast of St Patrick

12 noon, Saturday 17 March 2012

The Chapel, Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, 15 Blackall Street, Barton (cnr. Kings Avenue)

Homily: Father Frank Brennan AO

All Welcome. In attendance will be representatives from the Salvation Army, the Anglican, Catholic, Uniting, and Presbyterian Churches, ACT Irish organisations and the Irish, British, and American and other embassies and local schools. Music by the Canberra Celtic Choir, Brian Hungerford, and Carl Sampson.

Light refreshments afterwards.

Announcements

Gambling Reform: comments by the Right Revd Stuart Robinson, Anglican Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn, 25 January 2012.

Much of the media coverage this week has focused on the politics of the Government's decision to sever its deal with Independent Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie.

Trust is certainly an important factor in leadership, but we must not forget that the Government's job is to regulate the gambling industry to limit its impact on families and communities devastated by gambling addiction.

On this scale of analysis, there are some bright spots in what the Gillard Government announced this week.

I do believe the Government should be congratulated for their commitment to introduce "a $250 daily withdrawal limit from ATMs in gaming venues (excluding casinos) by 1 February 2013" and "Electronic warnings and cost of play displays on poker machines by 2016".

Over the past year one criticism of the Government is that their focus on poker machines ignored the growing problems around online betting. So another welcome aspect of the package is that Government will extend pre-commitment to online betting services.

Nevertheless, what the public debate often ignores or misses is that the old "one armed bandit" is dead. I am advised that the modern poker machine is a sophisticated piece of computer technology designed to maximize revenue by nurturing addiction. This scenario does demand a counter-technology that will help protect the most vulnerable.

Australians need a Government that has the courage to pursue hard decisions that will benefit the whole society. For gambling reform, this path would lead to real action on the Productivity Commission's two key recommendations: a trial of mandatory pre-commitment technology and $1 bet limits.

Many Anglicans are rightly disheartened that both sides of politics have stepped away from this level of comprehensive reform of the gambling industry in Australia.

The Gillard Government rejected the $1 bet limit proposal from the beginning. Yet the Commission has pointed out that there are so-called high intensity poker machines which encourage people to lose scandalously high amounts of money in a short period of time as they chase their losses. As a result, the Commission recommends that all machines have a $1 bet limit, with $20 restrictions on the amount a player could feed into the machine. This would bring average losses per machine to $120 for an hour.

With the Liberals appearing to be less than enthused by both of the Commission's key recommendations, Anglicans and other people of faith who believe that gambling reform is long overdue must make this a matter of prayer and correspondence with their elected representatives in Government.

+Stuart C & G.

Soul Companions: Spiritual direction training

Sue Dunbar (Barnabas Ministries) and Liz Anne Smith (Choosing Life) are running a three year training program in spiritual direction, based in Canberra in 2012, 2013 and 2014. During the first two years, students participate in weekly lectures, workshops, quadrads and seminars over two semesters of 15 weeks each. The focus of these inputs will be on spirituality and spiritual direction plus regular worship drawing from various Christian traditions. The third year is an intern year which is a supervised practicum with individual supervision and monthly group meetings. For more information contact Sue Dunbar at Barnabas Ministries. Phone 6295 6766 or email suedunbar53@yahoo.com

Sue Dunbar
Director, Barnabas Ministries
PO Box 3177, Manuka ACT 2603
P: 02 6295 6766

Aged Care

Pastoral Letter from: Bishop Stuart Robinson on aged care ministry, 8 February 2012.

Beloved in Christ,

Caring for the needs of the vulnerable, frail aged is a key part of our mission as a church.

For this reason it is deeply distressing that clinical care procedures at Ginninderra Gardens have broken down in recent months. We all hoped and prayed that these issues were behind us. I would like to echo the public apology Anglicare's Chief Executive Peter Sandeman has given the residents and their families. It is their care that must be paramount in our thoughts, actions and prayers at this time.

That said, the issues at Ginninderra Gardens have led me to both clarify and fast-track some ministry developments I was already contemplating.

I have appointed Archdeacon Anne Ranse to lead an Episcopal Task Force on Ministry to the Aging. This group will consist of eight Christian leaders with expertise and passion for ministry to the aged. Those who have already accepted my invitation to join Archdeacon Ranse are:

  • The Revd Professor Liz MacKinlay
  • Archdeacon Ian Palmer
  • The Revd Don Jamison
  • Mr. Brian Conway
  • Mrs. Celia Irving
I will ask this group to bring an interim report to Synod in 2012 and a final report to Synod in 2013. Given this growing demographic we need to be aware of the issues, needs and opportunities that ministry to the aging presents. The areas I will ask the task force to report on include (but are not limited to):
  • chaplaincy to the aged,
  • evangelism and ministry outreach to older people,
  • ministry training for people who are aging and to the aging,
  • parish support for residential aged care ministry,
  • the needs of the ageing in our community and opportunities for individuals and the church planting/fresh expression requirements that will address those needs.

Despite the current serious problems, the Anglican Church in this diocese remains committed to the delivery of a high quality residential aged care in our region. I have full confidence that the current Anglicare board under the leadership of Professor Ingrid Moses and the senior leadership of Anglicare will implement their plan to embed the highest quality clinical care standards as quickly as possible.

I am especially grateful for the proactive intervention of Anglicare's Chief Executive Peter Sandeman. He has acted with great integrity, alacrity and decisiveness. I could not ask for a wiser and better-skilled leader to guide our Church through this current crisis.

Last week I called the diocese to prayer on this matter. Thank you for your immediate response.

For Jesus,

+Stuart C & G.

Ginninderra Gardens: statement and call to prayer from Bishop Stuart Robinson, 30 Jan 2012

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Caring for the needs of the vulnerable, frail aged is a key part of our mission as a church. For this reason it is deeply distressing that clinical care procedures at Ginninderra Gardens have broken down in recent months. We all hoped and prayed that these issues were behind us.

I would like to echo the public apology Anglicare's Chief Executive Peter Sandeman has given the residents and their families. It is their care that must be paramount in our thoughts, actions and prayers at this time.

Despite the current problems, the Anglican Church in this diocese remains committed to the delivery of a high quality residential aged care in the ACT. I have full confidence that the senior leadership of Anglicare will implement their plan to embed the highest quality clinical care standards as quickly as possible.

I am especially grateful for the proactive intervention of Anglicare's Chief Executive Peter Sandeman. He has acted with great alacrity and decisiveness. A statement from Mr Sandeman is below and he will have a full report for Bishop-in-Council presently. Your prayers are very much appreciated (and needed).

For Jesus,
+Stuart C & G.

-------------------------------------------------------

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Following the information I sent earlier today in respect to the unfolding difficulties at Ginninderra Gardens, I am calling us — as a Diocese — to prayer. Please do circulate and use this simple prayer as we seek the Lord's wisdom and grace in this troubling matter. (I am grateful to Canon Gill Varcoe for drafting this prayer.)

Every blessing,
+S C & G.

Gracious and loving God
we come to you in prayer for Ginninderra Gardens Nursing Home,
and for the leaders in Anglicare:
we grieve with you for the suffering of vulnerable people,
and of those who love them.
We stand together, asking you to help our sisters and brothers
as they act to put right what has been wrong.
In your great mercy, bring comfort and healing, restoration and peace.
Come Holy Spirit, pour out your love, your wisdom and your hope.
This we pray, in the strong redeeming name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Ginninderra Gardens: statement from Peter Sandeman, Chief Executive of Anglicare Canberra and Goulburn

From: Peter Sandeman

It is with deep regret that I must inform you that the level of clinical care provided residents at Ginninderra Gardens nursing home over at least the past 3 months has been seriously compromised.

Front-line staff first alerted me to potential problems at Ginninderra Gardens about three weeks ago and I took immediate action.

I asked Gayle Sweaney to conduct an urgent investigation and a senior staff member resigned. At the same time key2learning Nurse Consultants were engaged on a 3 to 6 month contract to provide a full audit of care and clinical procedures at the nursing home. The consultants began work on January 13 and indentified a number of gaps in clinical care procedures that were acted on immediately. These included:

  • transferring residents whose care needs were beyond the current capacity of Ginninderra Gardens to other facilities.
  • Recruiting new specialist staff to fill identified clinical gaps.

This week the nursing home was assessed by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency. After initial feedback from the assessors on Tuesday about the failings in clinical oversight, Anglicare acted to:

  • immediately terminate the employment of the Executive Care Manager who had been appointed in August 2011.
  • place Gayle on site to implement a comprehensive plan to address every non-compliance issue identified by the accreditation agency.

I was informed on Wednesday night that the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency has made a finding of serious risk for residents at the Ginninderra Gardens nursing home. The facility is also likely to be found to be non-compliant in 25 of the 44 accreditation standards.

The Standards Agency will undertake daily visits until they lift the finding of serious risk, and will commence an accreditation assessment of the Ginninderra Gardens Hostels next week.

On the basis of the Standards Agency finding of serious risk the Department of Health and Aging have sanctioned Ginninderra Gardens Nursing Home. This will mean that:

  • The nursing home will not be allowed to admit new residents for up to six months
  • The nursing home must appoint a Nurse Advisor approved by the Department within five days (The Nurse Advisor has been appointed and commences on Sunday January 29, 2012)
  • All staff at Ginninderra Gardens must be trained by an approved RTO.

Further action by Anglicare management

Over the past few days Gayle and the nurse consultants have developed an action plan. It addresses the five risk categories identified by the Standards Agency.

On a personal level I am profoundly sorry for the breakdown in the quality of the nursing home's systems and any impact this may have had in the level of care.

It is also disheartening that clinical care practices at Ginninderra Gardens deteriorated so significantly in a matter of months. It is just 9 months since the nursing home was found to be fully compliant and accredited for two years. Clearly the standards of care have declined alarmingly in a very short space of time and the sustainability of change is clearly a major concern.

Please be assured that the action plan will address every one of the non-compliance issues and the care of each resident. I will do everything that is humanly possible to ensure it is implemented swiftly and effectively.

If staff have additional issues you wish to discuss please contact me. I will endeavour to address your concerns with speed and transparency and would be happy to hear your suggestions and in particular any changes that need to be made.

Kind regards

Peter Sandeman
Chief Executive
Anglicare Canberra & Goulburn




St Philip's Anglican Church, cnr Moorehouse and Macpherson Streets, O'Connor, ACT 2602
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