Families of Oakden residents meet with Premier Jay Weatherill for first time since damning report into mistreatment of elderly patients
A FAMILY member of an Oakden victim says Premier Jay Weatherill has committed to extra coronial funding in the State Budget to examine abuse allegations at the nursing home.
A FAMILY member of an Oakden victim says Premier Jay Weatherill has committed to extra coronial funding to examine abuse allegations at the nursing home.
Stewart Johnston spent 90 minutes with the Premier on Wednesday and said the meeting went well.
“He has agreed and confirmed that the coroner will be funded in this State Budget for any inquiries that the coroner needs to make regarding Oakden,” Mr Johnston said.
Mr Johnston said the Premier also pledged a 1800 hotline to report elderly abuse as well as a police investigation into the Oakden report, which will be headed by Commissioner Grant Stevens.
Mr Johnston said he would be involved in drafting the details and it will be an opportunity for families and carers to “ring this number and be listened to, including staff who perhaps are in other institutions and want to blow the whistle”.
A further announcement about the future of the Oakden facility will also be made.
Mr Johnston said the State Government needs to ensure the mistreatment of patients revealed in the Oakden report does not reoccur.
“He (Mr Weatherill) agreed to take me on within his government as an advocacy partner in all of this, to continue to report to the general public on our progress,” Mr Johnston said.
Earlier, the Oakden whistleblower said he believes the State Government is “on the right track” to ensure the mistreatment of elderly patients at mental health centres across South Australia never happens again.
The Spriggs family met with Premier Jay Weatherill on Wednesday morning, two weeks after a damning report into the Oakden Older Persons’ Mental Health Facility was made public.
“He was very apologetic for what’s gone on and, moving forward, I think they’re on the right track. They’ve got a huge job ahead of them,” Clive Spriggs said.
“He’s left the door open for us to come in whenever we want to advise, help out, or to have our opinion on anything that will change or happen.”
His father, Bob Spriggs, was given 10 times the amount of his medication and left with unexplained bruises while staying at the Government-run facility last year.
The treatment of his father, who has since died, prompted a comprehensive inquiry into the centre earlier this year, which resulted in the facility’s closure.
Mr Spriggs said he questioned the Premier why it had taken so long for the Government to investigate their complaints, which were first made halfway through last year.
“No one really seems to be able to give you an answer as to why they were getting missed, or why these complaints weren’t getting to the right people,” he said.
“Moving forward hopefully it’s something they can rectify and have a better means and way people can express their concerns so someone can do something about it.”
It was the first time the family had met with the Premier — three weeks after the Government was told of revelations of mistreatment, seclusion and medical overdosing in the 146-page Oakden report.
Alma Krecu — whose father Ermanno Serpo was overmedicated at the Oakden facility — was joined by her mother, Rina, and also met with the Premier on Wednesday.
“He said all the right things, but he needs to follow through on them,” Mrs Krecu said.
“Actions speak louder than words.
“There are some things happening at Oakden, including a new clinical lead starting there tomorrow (Thursday) and they’ve included extra resources, which is what we need.”
Stewart Johnston, whose mother Helen was mistreated during a two-week stay at Oakden in 2008, was expected to ask the Premier for a “dob-in line” to be established, as well as a major overhaul of the accreditation process.
The meetings come after Mr Weatherill, on Monday, broke his silence on the damning report, nearly three weeks after it was handed to the Government, and credited Mental Health Minister Leesa Vlahos for “shining a light” on the issue .
“The reality is if the minister had not instituted this inquiry we would not have been aware of the depths of concerns at this institution,” Mr Weatherill said.
“And rather than criticism, she should be acknowledged for the fact that she has shone a light on this facility and it’s revealed these very uncomfortable truths about the way in which this facility has been operating,” he said.
“So she has my full support.”
Opposition spokesman Stephen Wade said an independent audit was needed of Ms Vlahos and Health Minister Jack Snelling’s records to determine when they were notified of the issues.
“If Jay Weatherill has confidence in his ministers and they have nothing to hide in regards to the Oakden scandal the Government needs to open up the books,” Mr Wade said.
“Until he does the stench of a cover-up will continue to linger over this disgraceful abuse of vulnerable South Australians.”