Aged care worker who campaigned agaisnt English testing accused of force-feeding residents

A male aged care worker who publicly campaigned to relax English testing for nurses has been banned from health work, after being accused of trying to force-feed residents and hugging a woman who asked him to stop.

Biju Akkamparambil, an assistant in nursing at Parklands Residential Aged Care in Townsville, was handed a prohibition order by the Office of the Health Ombudsman on Friday 16 October. It means he cannot provide any health service in a clinical role, paid or volunteer.

The ban stays in place unless the Health Ombudsman lifts it or the state’s civil tribunal overturns it. The Ombudsman has not publicly given a reason for the order.

From campaigner to banned

Months before the first alleged incident, Mr Akkamparambil was a prominent voice in a campaign to relax English testing for nurses.

In April 2023 he told SBS Malayalam it was “unfair” that he had to sit an English test after more than 10 years working in health care. The broadcaster described him as a nursing assistant at Townsville Hospital.

The same month, The Indian Sun reported that he and Brisbane man Joby Kizhakehkattil had rallied more than 100 nurses, launched a federal parliamentary petition and written to MPs. They argued that nurses who studied and worked in Australia should not have to pass a test such as IELTS to register.

Mr Akkamparambil studied nursing in Bangalore and worked in the UK before moving to Australia. He later completed a diploma of nursing here, but Ahpra told him he still needed to pass the IELTS.

He is also well known in Townsville’s Indian community as the founding president of India Fest Townsville. He spoke at the festival’s 10th anniversary in August 2023, according to The Indian Sun.

What he was accused of

The complaints against Mr Akkamparambil are laid out in a decision by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission earlier this year. They relate to his care of nine residents between September 2023 and January 2024.

He was accused of:

• trying to force-feed two women on 30 October 2023, even though they told him to stop
• trying to hug an elderly woman in October 2023 after she asked him to stop and became upset
• clapping loudly under the chins of two residents at night, frightening them
• tickling another resident under the chin until they became agitated
• being rough with several residents while caring for them
• leaving a woman sitting on the toilet while he used his phone in her room
• not helping residents when asked to on Australia Day 2024

These remain allegations. No one has ruled on whether they are true.

A win on appeal, then a ban

A senior manager at the Townsville Hospital and Health Service, which runs Parklands, found six of the allegations proven and warned Mr Akkamparambil he could lose his job.

He appealed, saying he had been treated unfairly. Much of the evidence handed to him was blacked out, he was not told who had complained, and the manager relied on extra records he had never seen.

Queensland Health admitted the process was unfair. In May, the commission threw out the findings and ordered a different manager to look at the case again, this time giving him all the evidence first.

Mr Akkamparambil wanted the commission to clear him outright, but it refused. It said the allegations still needed to be properly considered.

He has been suspended from work since February 2024. In his appeal he said the long suspension had hurt his mental health, his finances and his standing in the community.

He also told the commission the suspension had stopped him from becoming an enrolled nurse, even though he said he met the requirements.

The result of the second investigation has not been made public.