Disgraced ex-Oakden aged care home nursing chief learns his fate

A former nursing chief at the disgraced Oakden aged care home – which was once slammed as run like “a zoo” by “manipulative” and “incompetent” staff – has learned his fate.

A former nursing chief at the disgraced Oakden aged care home has had his nursing registration cancelled and has been disqualified from nursing for more than a decade.

A tribunal has found former Older Persons Mental Health Facility nursing director Kerim Skelton failed to adequately supervise and manage staff for the care of vulnerable, elderly people who were often suffering significant disabilities or medical conditions.

The South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruled his actions amounted to professional misconduct.

The tribunal considered the many failures that occurred under Mr Skenton’s watch and the lack of action he took to address them, including his failure to take adequate steps to prevent the excessive or inappropriate use of restraints by Oakden staff.

Mr Skelton’s conduct was referred to the tribunal after an investigation by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, or AHPRA, investigation.

That investigation began after the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption’s damning February 2018 report into the facility which had found it was “a disgrace, a shocking indictment and a shameful chapter in SA’s history”.

A tribunal found former Older Persons Mental Health Facility nursing director Kerim Skelton failed to adequately supervise and manage staff for the care of vulnerable, elderly people. Picture: Generic

A coronial inquest, also in 2018, had heard the facility was run like “a zoo” by “manipulative” and “incompetent” staff and would sabotage any efforts to improve standards.

Allegations of abuse at the state government run facility first came to light after the family of resident Bob Spriggs first began asking questions about his treatment in 2016.

The concerns of Mr Spriggs’ wife Barbara led to a series of investigations including an ICAC probe, Senate inquiry and royal commission.

Her public outrage prompted other families to raise concerns about the treatment of family members. Among those raising concerns were Stewart Johnston and Rina Serpo.

The tribunal found Mr Skelton’s actions had comprised “one or more instance of professional conduct that, when considered together, amounts to conduct that is substantially below the standard reasonably expected of a registered health practitioner of an equivalent level of training or experience”.

It found he did not ensure accountability for standards of nursing care at Oakden, failed to ensure effective training of staff, did not maintain a cycle of quality improvement processes and had a defensive attitude to complaint management and refused to investigate complaints against staff.

Mr Skelton had more than 30 years’ experience as a nurse, but has not practised since 2018.

The tribunal noted Mr Skelton had co-operated with the investigation and had provided a personal statement “in which he expressed his contrition and remorse for the failings that he was part of at Oakden, and his shame at the allegations made against him at what has come to light about Oakden more generally”.

It said Mr Skelton had acknowledged that “his failings were a significant and warrant a clear message being sent to him and other nurses that such failings cannot be allowed to happen again”.

Julie Harrison outside the Coroners Court in 2018. Picture: Greg Higgs

The tribunal reprimanded Mr Skelton, cancelled his registration and banned him from reapplying for 12 years. During that time he is also prohibited from providing any health service.

He is the second Oakden manager to face sanctions in recent months, after former employee Julie Harrison was banned for a decade.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia chair Adjunct Professor Veronica Casey said the disqualification “highlights the severity of what went on at Oakden and sends a strong message to those in the industry that we must maintain safe and supportive work environments at all levels”.

AHPRA chief executive Martin Fletcher said the shameful failures of Oakden “must never be repeated” and that the outcome sends “a powerful message to the entire health workforce to always put the welfare of patients as your paramount priority”.