Disability advocate Kelly Vincent wants change in hospitals after receiving ‘inadequate care’ at RAH

A disability advocate was not showered and couldn’t leave her bed for three days during a stay at the RAH because of its policies.

Disability advocate Kelly Vincent is calling for improvements in hospital care, saying she felt like she was put in the “too-hard basket” during a recent visit to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

The former state politician has cerebral palsy, autism, depression, anxiety and is wheelchair bound.

She presented to the RAH’s emergency department last Monday after her mental health deteriorated.

She said she was restricted to a hospital bed for three days after nurses refused to assist her with existing care needs.

Ms Vincent said her usual careworker was unable to stay with her because of a policy that restricts them from assisting clients while they receive hospital treatment.

“I then asked (hospital) support staff for assistance to get out of bed and go to the toilet, and I was told words to the effect … they weren't comfortable doing that,” Ms Vincent, 32, said. “So I ended up being in the bed for three days. I didn’t so much as shower and brush my teeth.”

Former upper house MLC Kelly Vincent. Picture: AAP / Keryn Stevens

She said the mental health care was helpful but the lack of access to basic human needs made her feel worse after her stay in hospital.

“No individual person is doing this to people deliberately, it’s a systemic issue. she said.

“When you’re experiencing poor mental health, when you’ve basically lost your sense of identity and your sense of self … You obviously need a lot of support to remember that you’re a worthwhile person, so being left like that it really does make you feel like you’re in the too hard basket.”

“I’d come to one of the few places I know I can go to for help, and I kind of feel worse on the whole.”

Ms Vincent posted on social media about her experience and received messages indicating it was not isolated.

“(If) somebody like me, who’s usually quite good at verbalising their needs or communicating them in some way, can experience this, I’m really scared for people.

“I wasn't even in a position where I felt I could advocate for myself at that time, so how must other people feel?”

She will meet with advisers for Health Minister Stephen Wade and staff at the RAH to discuss ways to improve care for patients with a disability.

“We need to get better at recognising that a lot of disabled people actually have multiple diagnoses for various reasons and be set up to provide for that,” she said.

Mr Wade apologised to Ms Vincent about the care she received.

“There is a particular problem with the interface between the NDIS and hospitals in relation to support workers,” Mr Wade said.

“The basic position of NDIS, as I understand it … the NDIS’s view is that it is not their responsibility to provide support for patients in public hospitals.

“I think we need to be flexible, because sometimes support workers for people with a disability can have extremely specialised skills.”

Mr Wade will address potential changes in the space in a meeting with Federal Disability Minister Linda Reynolds next month