First Oakden staffer to be charged by police since scandal began
A FORMER Oakden staffer will become the first aged-care home employee to be charged by police since the Chief Psychiatrist’s damning report into abuse and neglect at the facility.
- Author of Oakden abuse report resigns
- More staff fired, resigned
- Oakden whistleblower says he was shut-out by minister
- ICAC inquiry to examine what ministers knew
A FORMER Oakden aged-care home staff will be the first employee to be charged by police since the Chief Psychiatrist’s damning report into abuse and neglect at the facility.
SA Police said a 63-year-old man had been reported for aggravated assault, but had yet to be formally charged or receive a summons to appear in court.
The aggravated assault is alleged to have occurred at the nursing home on May 9, less than three weeks after Chief Psychiatrist Aaron Groves’ report was released.
The employee is one of nine former Oakden staff to have been referred to police following a SA Health investigation, triggered by Chief Psychiatrist Aaron Groves’ report.
Police confirmed one former employee remained under investigation, while another would not be charged because of insufficient evidence.
In a statement to Parliament on May 16, Mental Health Minister Leesa Vlahos said an Oakden staff member had been suspended and referred to police following abuse alleged to have occurred on May 9. “The removal of the staff member related to an alleged incident witnessed by a family member of another patient on Tuesday 9 May that was not reported until Saturday 13 May,” Ms Vlahos told Parliament.
She told Parliament a day later — on May 17 — that another Oakden staff member had been referred to police for using “unnecessary force” against a resident on May 16.
According to the Government’s latest update on former Oakden staff, nine staff were being investigated by SA Police, 34 were under investigation by the national health regulator and 12 were suspended pending internal investigation.
Health Minister Jack Snelling told Parliament last month that three employees had been fired, while another two had quit. All residents from Oakden’s Makk and McLeay wards were moved to the recently refurbished Northgate aged care facility.
Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Bruce Lander will now investigate what ministers and SA Health knew about conditions at Oakden after Dr Groves’ report spoke of “seclusion, restraint and rough handling practices ... transported from mid to late 20th century Glenside Hospital”.
SA Health and Ms Vlahos both declined to comment on the pending charges.
Opposition mental health spokesman Stephen Wade said he was not able to comment on the case but said South Australians would be relieved “that after a decade of neglect and abuse, action is being taken to hold people to account”.
Mr Wade repeated his call for ICAC hearings to be held in the open — which government and independent ministers have blocked.