Family that exposed Oakden scandal shocked promised aged-care audits not completed

THE family that exposed shocking abuse at the Oakden elderly care facility do not understand why the Government failed to audit dozens of other state-run aged-care facilities to see if similar conditions exist — despite a promise to do so.

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THE family that exposed shocking abuse at the Oakden elderly care facility do not understand why the Government failed to audit dozens of other state-run aged-care facilities to see if similar conditions exist — despite a promise to do so.

Clive Spriggs, whose mother Barbara filmed the abuse of his father Bob at the Oakden nursing home that led to exposure of the scandal, says he was “shocked” to hear the audit had not taken place.

“How can we ever know if there was abuse at those centres if we don’t audit them properly?” he told The Advertiser.

“Everything should be open to investigation so that other families don’t suffer the ongoing horror we have suffered.”

Last May, in response to a damning report into Oakden, then minister for mental health and substance abuse, Leesa Vlahos, told parliament an external clinical audit of “other mental health and ageing facilities” housing the state’s most vulnerable residents would be done by SA Health.

Barb Spriggs with son Clive, Oakden whistleblowers. Picture: Tom Huntley

The department announced the audit would apply to 46 aged care centres and 19 mental health inpatient services — but that didn’t happen.

Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Peter Malinauskas, confirmed to The Advertiser that SA Health decided to drop the audit of the aged care facilities just two months later in July.

He said the reason was because of “federal reviews taking place into aged care”.

“We will continue to work with the federal government on aged care accreditation and standards,” the Minister said in a statement.

Mr Malinauskas said that questions about the failed audits taken on notice on the final parliamentary sitting day would see a response “provided on the resumption of parliament”.

In its statement, SA Health said it dropped the audits because its priority was to receive the audit results in a timely way.

And “including the aged care sites would have significantly increased the time needed to complete the review”.

Mr Spriggs said his family was feeling “uncertainty” about the outcomes of a report by the independent Commissioner Against Corruption into the Oakden scandal due for release on Wednesday.

ICAC Commissioner Bruce Lander is expected to name names in his report and Mr Spriggs has demanded “justice for the families” and consequences for those found to have done wrong.

“The politicians, the management and nurses can’t just get away with it when they’ve ruined so many lives,” he said.

“It’s not enough to name and shame. Something good has to come from all of this heartache.”

The Commissioner launched his inquiry last year after a gruelling report from former chief psychiatrist Aaron Groves uncovered allegations, over 16 years, of neglect and abuse at the Oakden facility.

Ms Vlahos resigned from her cabinet post in September, citing “personal issues”.