Casual security guards sought for Alfred Health quarantine hotels - The Age

A major Melbourne hospital is offering casual private security jobs to watch over patients in hotels amid controversial debate about flaws in Victoria’s hotel quarantine system.

Services giant Spotless advertised the positions on the Sidekicker platform as recently as Thursday seeking casual security guards to work 12-hour shifts in “hospital and hotel settings” for the Alfred Hospital.

The job advertisement states the jobs are available from July 20 until September 30.Credit:Getty Images

The advertised jobs come as the government’s handling of the hotel quarantine regime is set to come under intense scrutiny next week at an inquiry headed by retired judge Jennifer Coate.

The job advertisement, which called specifically for security guards, stated the roles for varied tasks are available from July 20 until September 30, with applicants expected to hold a security licence and be able to work 12-hour shifts across a seven-day rotating roster.

The advertisement promised successful applications would be provided with "relevant training" and personal protective equipment.

Workers would represent the Alfred Hospital as a "professional, responsive and committed employee", and while experience in a healthcare environment was considered "advantageous" it was not essential.

"It will be essential to foster an environment of trust with colleagues, patients and clinical staff … by maintaining both professional and medical confidentiality at all times (and) responding appropriately and within outlined procedures to any emergency,” the advertisement said.

Leaked emails this week revealed patient zero was not a security guard but a night manager working at the Rydges Hotel in May. Pictured is a worker from a cleaning company.Credit:Justin McManus

The advertisement was removed from the Sidekicker platform after Spotless and Alfred Health were contacted by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.

Neither Spotless nor Alfred Health responded to questions, referring inquiries to the Department of Justice and Community Services.

A spokeswoman for the department said that Spotless staff had been "temporarily carrying out limited administrative and support tasks during the transition of the quarantine program", and had been subcontracted by Alfred Health which looks after hotels with positive cases.

"(The department) has strengthened infection control, professional standards and oversight across quarantine accommodation, as it continues to develop a new operating model," the spokeswoman said.

"All resident supervision is now provided by Corrections Victoria and Victoria Police, replacing the private security guards who previously provided this function under existing contracts with (the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions)."

Premier Daniel Andrews said on Saturday he was “confident” Alfred Health had arrangements in place to provide the best and safest healthcare at the ‘hot’ hotel for quarantined COVID-19 cases.

“The hotel that the Alfred is running is essentially a hospital, they’re a campus of that health setting. That’s not to say security is unimportant, it isn’t, it’s very important,” he said.

“I’m confident (Alfred Health) have arrangements in place … not only looking after those people who need looking after, but also protecting all of us by doing nothing that would add to the number of cases in the broader Victorian community.”

When the inquiry was announced on July 2, Corrections Victoria took over management of Melbourne's hotel quarantine following infection control protocols being broken by staff members.

The program is not accepting overseas travellers at the moment, instead catering for healthcare workers and vulnerable people who are required to self-isolate as well as homeless people.

Security guards have previously told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that DHHS did not provide them with infection control training before outbreaks at Rydges on Swanston and the Stamford Hotel.

Leaked emails this week revealed patient zero was not a security guard but a night manager working at the Rydges Hotel in May. Soon after the manager had entered mandatory isolation, five out of seven security guards - all from contractor Unified Security - had contracted COVID-19.

Genomic sequencing by the Doherty Institute previously revealed a significant portion - if not all - of Victoria’s second-wave cases may be traced back to staff working inside hotel quarantine.

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiggFodHRwczovL3d3dy50aGVhZ2UuY29tLmF1L25hdGlvbmFsL3ZpY3RvcmlhL2Nhc3VhbC1zZWN1cml0eS1ndWFyZHMtc291Z2h0LWZvci1hbGZyZWQtaGVhbHRoLXF1YXJhbnRpbmUtaG90ZWxzLTIwMjAwODE0LXA1NWx3Zy5odG1s0gGCAWh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLnRoZWFnZS5jb20uYXUvbmF0aW9uYWwvdmljdG9yaWEvY2FzdWFsLXNlY3VyaXR5LWd1YXJkcy1zb3VnaHQtZm9yLWFsZnJlZC1oZWFsdGgtcXVhcmFudGluZS1ob3RlbHMtMjAyMDA4MTQtcDU1bHdnLmh0bWw?oc=5

2020-08-15 02:08:00Z
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