Leesa Vlahos quits: Oakden crisis thrust her into the spotlight
MENTAL Health ministers have been largely anonymous in state politics — until this year, when a report revealed abuse and neglect at the Government-managed Oakden nursing home.
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- Exposed: The horrific secrets of Oakden nursing home
- ICAC inquiry into Oakden scandal to examine what ministers knew
MENTAL Health ministers have been largely anonymous in state politics — until this year, when the Chief Psychologist’s report revealed the extent of abuse and neglect at the Government-managed Oakden nursing home.
Dr Aaron Groves’ 146-page catalogue of horrors, on the culture and traumas at the facility, gave Leesa Vlahos a new, albeit unwanted, prominence.
The sheer scale of what occurred raised serious questions about her suitability managing her mental health portfolio.
But the criticism of the 51-year-old — who was promoted to Cabinet in January 2016 — didn’t stop there.
It intensified when she waited almost a week until the parliamentary Easter break to read the review — instead instructing her staff to read it, and report back their recommendations.
Families demanded to know why it took her so long to visit the northern suburbs facility, months after they first came forward with reports of abuse. Instead, she placed huge responsibility on her staff.
Just weeks after Dr Groves’ report was publicly released, Ms Vlahos was forced to make two statements in consecutive days to Parliament, confirming police had been called to further incidents at the facility.
She also attracted derision when she told MPs she had only seen Dr Groves after he released the report during a chance meeting at Bunnings.
Her chief of staff Sam Runnel quit in July — sources told The Advertiser her office’s culture had become “toxic”.
The scandal and its fallout appeared to have a severely negative impact on Ms Vlahos.
When she updated Parliament on how the Government was moving Oakden residents to the Northgate facility, she did so while staring at the floor — to avoid television cameras.
But while plenty of focus was, rightfully, given to how she handled the scandal, the facility’s long-running abuse cannot be pinned on just her.
Dr Groves’ report told of how the atrocities at the facility long outstripped her time in Cabinet.
And at every stage, Premier Jay Weatherill has supported Ms Vlahos, steadfastly rejecting criticism of his colleagues.
The Opposition remains convinced there is room to attack the Government on its handling of Oakden.
But with the resignations of Ms Vlahos and Health Minister Jack Snelling — the previous two Mental Health ministers — they have had their chances of claiming a ministerial scalp extinguished in one day.
Oakden: The crisis that brought her down
January: Mental Health Minister Leesa Vlahos commissions a review into the Oakden mental health facility after the family of a former patient, Bob Sprigg, complained that he had been overdosed and forcibly restrained.
April: Chief Psychiatrist Aaron Groves hands down a report that finds dementia residents had suffered abuse and neglect at the facility stretching back years. Dr Groves’ report also spoke of a toxic culture at the facility.
Ms Vlahos comes under fire from families and the Opposition for waiting until the Easter break to read the report, and not visiting the facility quicker when concerns were raised.
May: Parliament hears two further cases of abuse have occurred at the facility after the report was handed down.
Ms Vlahos tells Parliament the only contact she has had with Dr Groves since the report was handed down was a chance meeting at Bunnings.
June: All residents at Oakden’s Makk and McLeay wards are successfully moved to Northgate.
July: Labor MPs and Government Ministers block the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption from holding open maladministration hearings into what occurred at Oakden.