Local – Page 34 – Willow Court Tasmania

ASSID letter to Hon Ray Groom, Minister for Health Tasmania 1988

February 25, 2014 No Comments

(ASSID) Australian Society For The Study Of Intellectual Disability is a disability peak body that studies and presents best practice within the Australian Disability Support Industry.

ASID has a clearly stated mission

Mission:

To improve the quality of life for people with an intellectual disability.

Strategic Goals:

The goals of the Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability are:

to be an independent authority on intellectual disability issues across Australasia;
to forge interaction between intellectual disability research, policy and practice;
to lead the development of strategic partnerships;
to engage and strengthen membership; and
to ensure sound governance.

ASSID Document

This is the document that was written to the Minister for Health in Tasmania, Mr Ray Groom by the National President of ASSID Australia, Mr Ron Joachim encouraging him to proceed with the de-institutionalisation process of Willow Court Centre and not to fall prey to ideas of community education and understanding which would slow or stop the process. While the impact of the closure was going to be offset by land release and development according to Government papers, the reality of the closure was strongly felt within a close knit community and has left a long lasting and painful memory.

A range of documents are available on the “articles page” to read and study more about Willow Court Centre.

Global, Local

Willow Court Conservation Special Committee Minutes December 2013

February 23, 2014 No Comments

Willow Court Conservation Special Committee Minutes December 2013

The minutes for the December Conservation Special Committee have been released and are here for you to read. There is still no clear direction for the opening date and events after the restoration is complete. A letter was sent to the Project Officer Mr Brett Noble asking for an update, but nothing has been received back yet. While visually we can see some works progressing on the external building we are not sure of any internal works.

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Restoration continues

February 17, 2014 No Comments

Restoration work is continuing at the Willow Court Site and the preparation below the Barracks veranda is nearing completion, this will enable the foundations to remain dry and protected from excessive damaging moisture. New scaffolding can be seen on the west wing ready for restoration work to begin. The planned completion date has been pushed out to April and possibility May according to reports. Sealasash Window restoration company has posted a number of videos on YouTube about the Willow Court Restoration. I have added one which explains all of their restoration work. This is found on the restoration page, Click Here to view.

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Synopsis of residents, statistics, Willow Court institutional living program 2.8.1988

February 16, 2014 No Comments

First time to be publicly released.

This memo records the Examiner News Paper’s letter to the editor by Clarrie Strochnetter, State Secretary, Disabled People International (Tas) two years after the Tasmanian State Parliament made the formal decision to start the de-institutionalisation process of Willow Court Centre. Clarrie asks what is happening after two years?

Also there is a full break down of staffing numbers both day and night shift and resident numbers for each ward, dated 02.08.1988.

Click here to view the full Document

Global, Local

Article from the Sunday Tasmanian 25-10-1987

February 12, 2014 No Comments

This dual article writes about Ken and his hopes and dreams of leaving the Willow Court Centre as well as expressing his mixed feelings of leaving his home for the last 13 years. Ken’s journey and experience was not unlike the many residents that started the de-institutionalisation process that took another 13 years to complete.

The second part of this article quotes Royal Derwent Hospital’s Administrator, Mr Grant Lennox announcing that he expected the majority of the Centre’s 300 residents to eventually live in the community houses.

At the time this lead to much anxiety among staff and families who were concerned for their own situations and those of the residents and family members they knew so well.

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Lyons Candidates

February 11, 2014 No Comments

Tonight I have written to all the known candidates that are standing in the seat of Lyons in the upcoming state election. I hope to have a reply soon to share with all the Willow Court Supporters. This is what I have asked:

Dear Candidate,

As a candidate for the seat of Lyons this coming election we (Willow Court Advocacy Group) would like to know your thoughts or your party’s thoughts on the sensitive redevelopment of the Willow Court Site. We would appreciate if you would take the time to read and respond to our questions. Your response/non response will be published on our website, Facebook group and Facebook page so Willow Court supporters can make valid judgements at the ballot box this March.

1. This site is a world heritage site; will you support a listing to protect the social and physical history of the site?

2. Do you support an apology to the previous Residents for the Government policies that separated and denied people with a disability from being able to access their families and communities?

3. Many more dollars are required to fund the restoration of the site, how will you support this and help create jobs in the New Norfolk/Derwent Valley area?

Thank you for considering these questions and I hope I can upload your response soon.

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Dignity

February 6, 2014 No Comments

Generally staff adopted a non-patronising and courteous manner to

residents. Many were treated in an informal light-hearted manner

and conversations often revealed a deep knowledge and

understanding of the individual resident. Displays of genuine

affection and mutual respect between staff and residents were

frequently observed.

In contrast were the occasions when residents were addressed in a

harsh manner. However, on the occasions observed criticism cannot

be levelled at staff. Residents can be maddening and exasperating·

at times and when coupled with a shortage of staff, situations

arise where in all but the most saintly employees irritability and

short temperedness develop.

Ree Pettifer September 1989

Review of clinical nursing practice institutional living program,

Willow Court Centre Report.

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State election news early report

January 30, 2014 1 Comment

Willow Court has many friends that are fighting to be elected at the next Tasmanian state election.

Yesterday the Chairwoman of the Friends of Willow Court Special Committee, Mrs Anne Salt has appeared on the ABC news as a representative for the National Party in the seat of Lyons.

Mayor Martyn Evans has announced some time ago that he will also be seeking to be elected to the seat of Lyons for the Liberal Party. Martyn Evans also sits on the Willow Court Conservation Committee along with the Labor candidate David Llewellyn, who is the chair person of the Willow Court Conservation Committee.

We will again ask each of these candidates about their thoughts of Willow Court becoming a Site of Conscience and what would their contribution be to the restoration, both socially and physically of the site.

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Tasmania Library and TasTAFE referring people to this site!

January 27, 2014 No Comments

A couple of weeks ago I visited the State Library to source some information about Willow Court/Royal Derwent Hospital and was delighted to find that they referred me to this website(Willow Court Advocacy Group). They said it was a great site for people studying the history of the hospital throughout time and through the eyes of the patients, families and also the staff.

We have been asked to supply our website to students studying Community Services while incarcerated at Risdon Prison on a local intranet which we have been please to do. It’s been great to have a good quality resource about the hospital history for students who are studying the past practices that the community had to support people living with a disability and/or mental health issues together in one place and in a respectful manner.

We have supplied teaching resources to high schools and guest speakers, often ex-staff and ex-patients to interested groups.

If you have anything to share about the history of Willow Court/Royal Derwent Hospital please contact us HERE, we would love to speak to you about sharing your historic knowledge, artefact, report or picture etc. We are able to professionally interview and present your knowledge and we can create a professional podcast to the highest industry standards.

Global, Local

Lachlan Park Hospital circa 1960

January 23, 2014 6 Comments

httpvh://youtu.be/Wk2CURa9SJA Lachlan Park Hospital circa 1950-60?. This footage shows the Barracks from the front and rear enclosed yard, H Ward and I Ward, the old clock tower and accommodation rooms on the west side of the hospital including the old metal fold up bed. This is very rare footage. Black & White silent footage which was given to us at Willow Court Tasmania Advocacy Group. We would like an accurate year that the footage was taken if anyone could help?