Minda’s new CEO Dr Clare Allen outlines vision for disability provider

The new CEO of disability service provider, Minda, has promised she will “face people” and “listen to their concerns” after federal sanctions were lifted on Tuesday.

Adelaide needs a “specialised” care home for people with complex disabilities because they are currently stuck in hospitals or homes ill-equipped to care for them, says the new chief executive of Minda.

In her first in-depth interview with The Advertiser, Clare Allen also revealed Minda had set up an independent “whistleblower” hotline for staff, residents or their families to raise concerns in future.

It comes after an audit late last year found residents of Minda Nursing Home were at risk because it failed to meet a range of standards.

The federal Health Department imposed sanctions on the disability service provider which were formally lifted on Tuesday.

Minda CEO Clare Allen at the North Brighton headquarter. Picture MATT TURNER.

Dr Allen took over the role last month from an acting chief executive, after Minda’s former boss resigned last October.

Coming to Adelaide after six years leading VisAbility, based in Western Australia, Dr Allen has promised she will “face people and I’ll listen to their concerns”.

She described Minda as an “iconic charity” and pledged to “put it back to being a centre of excellence”.

However, Dr Allen warned Minda could not do it all and some of its troubles had stemmed from trying to do so.

For example, she said Minda took in former residents of the Oakden aged care home which was closed in October, 2017, following revelations of abuse and neglect.

“There was a bit of pressure for places like Minda to take a couple of those high intensity clients. I think we thought we could manage them and, in reality, we couldn’t,” she said.

Dr Allen said it had prompted Minda to review its criteria for accepting future residents.

“Now, basically, there is nowhere for them. There is a backlog in the hospitals. There is a need here for a specialised facility,” she said.

Dr Allen wants to talk to the State Government about building a new facility offering high ratios of specialist staff, skilled in managing residents with intellectual disabilities or behavioural issues, including violence.

She said land could potentially be made available on Minda’s site at North Brighton and government and non-profit or private organisations could work together to run such a service.

“There is a gap in the marketplace,” she said.

In a wide-ranging interview, Dr Allen also confirmed:

MINDA’S board will vote to replace president Susan Neuhaus, likely with another current member, after she vacates the role on June 30.

THE 35 recommendations made in a review of Minda’s governance will be published online, but not the full report.

MINDA will be told whether it will be granted ongoing accreditation for one, two or three years within weeks.