Neglect victim Annie Smith’s service provider Integrity Care allowed to continue operating in aged care, private sectors despite ban from NDIS
Neglect victim Annie Smith’s service provider is allowed to continue offering aged care and community services despite being banned from the NDIS.
SA News
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- Integrity Care SA banned by NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission for multiple breaches
- Ann Marie Smith’s carer Rosemary Maione gets bail
Integrity Care SA – the service provider for neglect victim Annie Smith – is allowed to continue offering aged care and community services after being banned from providing Federal Government-funded disability support.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission on Wednesday announced it was revoking the company’s registration and issued the organisation a banning order for “a number of contraventions of the NDIS Act”.
However, the Commission on Thursday confirmed the prohibition only applies to NDIS services provided by Integrity Care, a not-for-profit organisation which also offers aged care services and fee-for-service support.
“Revoking the registration of a provider means that the provider can no longer provide NDIS-funded supports and services to NDIS participants as a registered NDIS provider,” a spokesman for the Commission said.
“The banning order in this matter bans Integrity Care (SA) Ltd from providing any NDIS supports and services to any person in the NDIS.
“Service provision in the aged care or other sectors is a matter for other regulators.”
However, the spokesman said the Commission shared its compliance and enforcement activities with other regulators.
He also addressed concerns that Integrity Care could rebrand itself and start working in the disability sector again.
“In determining whether any organisation can be registered as an NDIS provider, the NDIS Commission undertakes suitability assessments of providers applying to register,” the spokesman said.
“This includes considering previous registration or banning or the organisation or any previously affiliated entity.”
Opposition human services spokeswoman Nat Cook called on the State Government to “step in and use what levers it has available to them to prevent this company from providing any other care services in this state”.
She said her “biggest worry is that there’s another Annie Smith out there that we haven’t seen”.
“I’m concerned for anybody connected with Integrity Care and that is people receiving support and also their workers,” Ms Cook said.
“We need to hear some guarantees from the State Government that they’re going to ensure that everybody is safe.”
A Government spokeswoman said: “The services provided by Integrity Care fall under the jurisdiction of various Commonwealth regulators”.
Premier Steven Marshall said Integrity Care was “not a provider to the State Government”.
“The advice that I’ve been provided with is that they don't provide services to the department for health and wellbeing or any of the individual LHNs (Local Health Networks),” he said.
Integrity Care’s NDIS registration will be revoked on Friday while the banning order will come into effect on August 21.
Annie Smith, who had cerebral palsy, died in the Royal Adelaide Hospital on April 6 from septic shock, multiple organ failure from severe pressure sores and malnutrition.
Evidence suggested the 54-year-old Kensington Park woman may have been stuck in a cane chair 24 hours a day for about a year before her death.
Police last week charged Ms Smith’s support worker Rosemary Maione, 68, with manslaughter.
Maione had been working for Integrity Care when she was Ms Smith’s support worker but has since been fired.