5 September 2022
The plug has been pulled on a security camera at a northern suburbs aged care facility, protecting the rights and privacy of staff as they enjoy a well-deserved meal or break.
Our members at Olive Grove Aged Care were concerned with the use of CCTV in their staffroom, recording them while on their unpaid meal breaks and private down time (pictured below).
The ANMF (SA Branch) raised the issue with management - our officers then requested that the CCTV be removed immediately as per the Surveillance Devices Act 2016(SA) and Workplace Surveillance Policy Directive 2019.
Olive Grove management refused and sought legal intervention but this failed and the camera has now been removed.
“We congratulate members for standing up for their rights and raising the issue,” said ANMF (SA Branch) CEO/Secretary Adj Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM.
“We support the use of security cameras to improve safety and security outside hospital facilities but surveillance in a staffroom is unnecessary.
“Using CCTV in this environment can cause mistrust of staff towards the organisation – an employee-employer relationship should be built on mutual trust and respect.”
The staff at Olive Grove are not the only aged care workers who have had concerns about CCTV this year.
In July a camera was removed from a tearoom at Estia Health Hope Valley and in May, Bolton Clark (Allity) Ridgehaven, an aged care facility in Adelaide’s north east, scrapped plans to install a security camera in its staffroom – on both occasions the action followed our advocacy.
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