Names have been removed to protect privacy. Identifying letters are assigned in alphabetical order and bear no relationship to the person’s actual name.
- This report is the opinion of Carolyn Cooper, Aged Care Commissioner, and is made in accordance with the power delegated to her by the Health and Disability Commissioner. The report concerns a complaint from Ms A received in 2020 about the care provided to her late mother, Mrs A, at Golden Pond Lifecare Private Hospital Limited (Golden Pond), a provider of hospital and care-home services. Mrs A passed away in 2022. I extend my sincere condolences to Ms A for the loss of her mother.
- Ms A raised concerns about the quality of the care her mother received at Golden Pond. Ms A said that often staff were disrespectful and would delay or refuse to take Mrs A to the toilet; they did not accommodate her hearing and speech problems and ignored her requests for help; they were slow to discover that Mrs A had had a fall and did not respond to it appropriately; and they did not identify that her behaviour indicated that she might have a urinary tract infection.
- The following issue was identified for investigation:
Whether Golden Pond Private Hospital Limited provided [Mrs A] with an appropriate standard of care during 2020. - This report is the Aged Care Commissioner’s opinion on the adequacy of the care provided to Mrs A at Golden Pond. The report sets out the key issues in the complaint and Golden Pond’s response to them. This is followed by the Aged Care Commissioner’s opinion on each matter, in which the issues are discussed in more detail, including key evidence and clinical notes.
- Independent clinical advice about Mrs A’s care was obtained from registered nurse (RN) Julia Russell (Appendix A).
