Whistleblower Policy

Whistleblowing is when you disclose information to us because you believe that we may have breached the Aged Care Act.

Whistleblower Procedures

Whistleblowers play an important role in identifying and calling out misconduct.

Our whistleblower framework:

  • Includes our staff, including directors, officers and anyone employed or contracted to provide care or other services
  • protects the above from punishment, unfair treatment, threats and victimisation
  • protects their identity – except in limited circumstances or with your consent
  • protects our residents, their families and carers.

Staff can report someone who they reasonably believe hasn’t followed aged care laws, and they will be protected from punishment or unfair treatment.

For the purpose of the Whistleblower Policy, a disclosure must be about wrongdoing with respect to the Laura Johnson Home. The person making the report must have reasonable grounds to suspect that the wrongdoing has occurred.

“Wrongdoing” means:

  • a reportable incident (as defined under the SIRS)
  • misconduct or an improper state of affairs or circumstances in relation to the Laura Johnson Home. 

Examples of conduct that you may want to report via our whistleblower procedures:

  • reportable incidents (as defined under the SIRS and including elder abuse, assault, sexual assault, theft and neglect)
  • dishonest and/or unethical conduct
  • fraud, forgery, misappropriation, misuse, misdirection, misapplication, maladministration or waste of funds
  • gross mismanagement
  • conflicts of interest that are not declared or managed appropriately, nepotism, favouritism
  • theft, embezzlement, tax evasion
  • corruption, taking or offering bribes or secret commissions • dishonesty involving influence, such as blackmail
  • coercion, harassment or discrimination by, or affecting, any of our staff, volunteers or contractors
  • abuse of public trust
  • misleading or deceptive conduct of any kind, including conduct or representations that amount to improper or misleading accounting or financial reporting practices by or affecting Amber Aged Care
  • other criminally prosecutable offences • failure to report, or concealment of, an indictable offence
  • conduct that poses an unreasonable danger to the health or safety of others
  • failure to act in accordance with applicable professional and ethical standards • a significant threat to the environment
  • a significant breach of the terms of any contract that binds Amber Aged Care
  • other serious acts such as refusing to carry out lawful and/or reasonable actions under a contract
  • other serious misconduct that may materially damage Amber Aged Care’s reputation, or may otherwise be detrimental to Amber Aged Care
  • any other act that would be considered, by a reasonable person, to be serious improper conduct or an improper state of affairs or circumstances.

Wrongdoing would also include a deliberate attempt to conceal any of the actions described above.

Information to Provide in a Whistleblower Disclosure

For a whistleblower disclosure to be investigated it must contain enough information to form a reasonable basis for investigation.

This includes any known details about the events underlying the actual or suspected wrongdoing, including:

  • a description of the events or activities, including locations
  • the names of the people involved and their roles • relevant dates and times
  • possible witnesses to the events
  • supporting documentary evidence of the events.

In your disclosure, include any steps that you may already have taken to report the matter elsewhere or to resolve the concerns.

Steps that the Laura Johnson Home will take to reduce the risk of a whistleblower being identified include, where possible:

  • ensuring that any meetings with the whistleblower are held in a private setting and outside business hours if required.
  • ensuring that all communications, files, and records that relate to the whistleblower are kept securely.
  • informing any personnel who are aware of the whistleblower’s identity that they have an obligation to keep that identity confidential.

Where a whistleblower’s identity is, or becomes, known, that information will remain strictly confidential and only disclosed to the extent permitted and as required.

For further information, refer to our policy – Whistleblower Policy