Key bureaucrat wasn’t aware of problems at Oakden mental health facility until November 2016
UPDATED: Bereft families of elderly patients who were overmedicated at the Oakden nursing home say they are “shocked and disgusted” that a key SA Health bureaucrat only heard of the facility’s problems in November.
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BEREFT families of elderly patients who were overmedicated at the Oakden nursing home say they are “shocked and disgusted” that a key SA Health bureaucrat only heard of problems with the facility in November.
The children of Bob Spriggs and Ermanno Serpo — who were both neglected and overmedicated — before dying at the facility said it was “unbelievable” that Northern Adelaide Local Health Network chief executive Jackie Hanson hadn’t been alerted to the Principal Community Visitor’s worries about the facility.
Clive Spriggs and his mother Barb told community visitor Maurice Corcoran of the abuse Mr Spriggs had suffered at the facility in June, but his multiple reports to NAHLN went unheard until five months later.
The family finally secured a meeting with Ms Hanson in December.
Ms Hanson told a parliamentary committee it took being contacted by Mental Health Minister Leesa Vlahos’ office for her to know of the issues, but said the meeting with the Spriggs family convinced her a review into Oakden was necessary.
“In that meeting, they also talked about the general interaction of staff at Oakden in that ward which was where Mr Spriggs was, which made me concerned about the culture and the level of care,” Ms Hanson said.
Mr Spriggs said he was extremely distressed his family’s cries for help were ignored for so long.
“It’s disgusting. Our family is still reliving what happened to Dad in February last year and since then he’s passed away,” he said.
“Every day we’re reminded of what happened. But it seems like all the others that they just keep covering it up.”
Mr Serpo’s daughter, Alma Krecu, said she was “in a bit of shock” after hearing it had taken so long for Ms Hanson to know of the facility’s widespread issues.
“What worries me is they’re a bit too blase about the whole thing,” she said.
“Who’s taking responsibility here? Leesa Vlahos says she didn’t know, Jackie Hanson said she didn’t know ... honestly, it’s a joke.
“When do the families find out the repercussions? When are we going to be assured this won’t happen again?”
Ms Hanson said all concerns made by community visitors should be escalated to NAHLN’s clinical governance committee — but she indicated only one concern of excessive restraint had made it to the committee’s risk register.
Her revelation follows Ms Vlahos’ shock comment on Thursday that the only contact she had with SA’s mental health commissioner Chris Burns over the Oakden disgrace was a chance meeting at Bunnings.
Opposition health spokesman Stephen Wade said the inaction indicated “serious communication breakdowns” and a toxic culture inside SA Health.
“What does it take in SA Health to get serious care concerns raised to the people who can make things happen?”
Ms Hanson also confirmed a private law firm was investigating a raft of concerns at the facility, less than 24 hours after Ms Vlahos batted away questions in State Parliament.