Letter to editor - Courier Mail re Agents raid coast home

Letter sent to the Editor in response to 'Agents raid coast home. Aged hit by illness' in the Courier Mail, 21 April 2007

23 April 2007

Letters to the Editor
Brisbane Courier Mail
By fax: 07 3666 6690


I refer to the Courier Mail of 21 April 2007 and the article headed “Agents raid coast home. Aged hit by illness.”

The Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency did no such thing and this was made clear to journalist Anthony Marx. In fact, I specifically said that Agency assessors do not conduct ‘raids’, and that no ‘raid’ had occurred.

All that has happened is that the home is managing gastroenteritis using standard infection control procedures. As required, the home reported the matter to State health authorities, who referred it to the Australian Government’s Department of Health and Ageing, who in turn referred it to us, the accreditation body which is tasked with monitoring homes’ compliance with the Accreditation Standards. Standard operating procedure all ‘round.

If ever there was a non-story, this was it. However the imaginative Mr Marx was determined not to let the facts stand in the way of his pre-determined headline. This sort of exaggerated and misleading reporting can actually dissuade people from reporting important information to relevant authorities.


Yours sincerely,


Chris Falvey
General Manager Corporate Affairs

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