In October 1998 I made contact with groups
and individuals in the US community who were addressing the problems
in nursing homes. Sun Healthcare was one of the problems and I was
soon flooded with information, not only about Sun but about most of
the corporate aged care chains. I sent this material to FIRB in order
to block any further investment by Sun in Australia. The US report
referred to was inaccurate. Sun did not own nursing homes in
Australia.
30 October 1998
Mr A Hinton
Foreign Investment and Review Board (FIRB)
The Treasury Building
Parkes Place Your fax 06 263 2940
ACT 2600
Dear Mr Hinton,
Sun Healthcare --- URGENT
Over the last 10 days I have been flooded with information about the operations of this company and have been given information about frightening allegations and disclosures of neglect and patient abuse in corporate nursing homes across the USA. There has been another US Senate Inquiry, this time into neglect and abuse of aged citizens in nursing homes. I have been sorting this material in order to make it available.
Today I received a report from the USA which for the first time reveals that Sun Healthcare now runs nursing homes in Australia. I have therefore decided to rush you copies of this material.
I urge you to use the FIRB process to urgently advise the government to restrict the further expansion of this comapny and then to get rid of them as expeditiously as possible. I remind you that California have already refused to licence any more Sun facilities in that state.
Yours sincerely,
