Life imitates art in the health system
A few days after the Lismore script-in-hand reading of a play about bullying and other abuses faced by health care professionals, the NSW government released a damning survey showing the state’s public health system is stricken with exactly the problems discussed in the play.
Grace Under Pressure was developed from in-depth interviews with doctors and nurses about their experiences of training and working in hospitals. It was written and directed by David Williams, with dramaturg Paul Dwyer, in collaboration with the Sydney Arts & Health Collective.
- Details
- Written by: Robin Osborne
One-in-three note health’s “bullying culture”
A NSW government survey of more than 65,600 public health employees has reported a “toxic culture of bullying and harassment” that has seen more than one-in-three staff witnessing bullying in the past year, one-in-five (over 13,700 health workers) experiencing bullying behaviour, and one-in-20 being subjected to physical harm and/or sexual harassment or abuse at work.
These alarming statistics were reported in the health cluster focus of the NSW Public Service Commission’s “People Matter Employee Survey 2018”. However, according to NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard the results were “better than ever” [dropping four percentage points since 2016] but showed “more needs to be done’’.
- Details
- Written by: Robin Osborne
Rehab benefits those who stay on
They tried to make me go to rehab
I said, no, no, no…
- Amy Winehouse, Rehab
From just one page of today’s paper I learn that two young Queenslanders were busted carrying 18 MDMA tablets to the ‘Rabbits Eat Lettuce’ bush-doof near Casino, while police were investigating the discovery of a 20kg package of cocaine found floating off the coast near South West Rocks.
And that’s just locally.
- Details
- Written by: Robin Osborne
Faces on the wall
‘Heart and Soul’, a spectacular photographic portrait exhibition, was a highlight of 2018 at Lismore Regional Gallery. Between them, locals Peter Derrett OAM and Jacklyn Wagner have documented life in the Northern Rivers for almost 80 years.
Always an aficionado of theatre, Peter Derrett kicked off his photographic career by documenting the legendary 1973 Aquarius Festival in Nimbin. In his ‘day job’ he was a highly regarded drama and English teacher at Trinity Catholic College for 36 years, establishing the Theatre North company with his wife Dr Ros Derrett OAM in 1981.
- Details
- Written by: Robin Osborne
My island home
Bundjalung artist Digby Moran with Lismore Flood, one of the highlights of his ‘Growing up on the Island’ exhibition at Lismore Regional Gallery.
One of the region’s best known artists, Bundjalung man Digby Moran recently held a true blockbuster of an exhibition at Lismore Regional Gallery. The hangings featured a selection of mostly large works – many of them nearly two metres wide – inspired largely by his early life on Cabbage Tree Island in the Richmond River.
- Details
- Written by: Robin Osborne
Page 83 of 177
