Oakden aged care facility: Another staffer stood down
UPDATED: Police are investigating two new claims of abuse at the Oakden aged-care home, both alleged to have occurred in the past week and despite pledges of major reform.
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POLICE are investigating two new claims of abuse at the Oakden aged care home, both alleged to have occurred in the past week and despite pledges of major reform.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Minister Leesa Vlahos came under sustained pressure in Question Time on Wednesday and is facing renewed calls to resign as the Opposition claims she lacks the skills to drive positive change in a failed system.
Less than 24 hours after confirming one staff member was reported to police over an incident alleged to have occurred last week, Ms Vlahos said another was now under investigation for using “unnecessary force” against a resident on Tuesday.
Chief Psychiatrist Aaron Groves’ Oakden report was delivered to Ms Vlahos more than five weeks ago. It found systemic cover-up and warned “the fish rots from the head”.
Opposition health spokesman Stephen Wade said it was now clear Ms Vlahos lacked the competency needed to fix Oakden, and must immediately resign or be sacked.
“It is a month since Minister Vlahos released the Chief Psychiatrist’s damning report into the treatment of vulnerable patients at Oakden yet still the abuse continues,” he said.
“Minister Vlahos is clearly incapable of delivering the change necessary.”
In total, 25 staff have now been reported to the national health regulator over matters related to the Oakden scandal. Eleven have been stood down pending further SA Health investigations and one has been sacked. One other staff member has resigned.
The new incident involves allegations that an Oakden staff member attempted to stop a resident from passing through a door, and did so by pushing them with excessive force.
A patient and staff member witnessed the event, which was reported to management.
The matter from last week, alleged to have occurred on the Tuesday but only reported on Saturday, was raised by the family member of a resident. The allegations are unclear.
Ms Vlahos said she considered closing Oakden immediately after the latest abuse claim was reported to her, but it would not be safe to do so for at least another 20 days.
“I will not tolerate the staff there, or any person on that site, dealing with people who are frail and vulnerable in an inappropriate way,” she said.
“We are making significant inroads into the culture. The staff need to get on-board the train for change.”
Ms Vlahos also walked out of a press conference with SA Health chief executive Vickie Kaminski after insisting “I’m not going to be bullied into resigning by people in the journalist pack or the Opposition”, leaving her senior bureaucrat to continue solo.
Ms Kaminski said she was concerned the public was losing confidence in the State Government’s handling of the system, but closing Oakden would help “signal change”.
“The proof will be in the pudding,” she said. “You will see a change.
“The staff and the families are seeing a change. We’re going to keep changing that culture.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Ms Vlahos met with three concerned families of Oakden residents.
Stewart Johnston, whose mother was in Oakden, said he had a “productive discussion” with a “visibly moved and shaken” minister who he still believed could make change.
“I give the minister the benefit of the doubt,” he said. “We are giving them every opportunity. We are not going to bag them for the sake of bagging them.”
Alma Krecu, whose father was in Oakden, said concerned families should ring the 7485 4369 complaints hotline and hesitated when asked if Ms Vlahos had her confidence.
“I don’t know,” she said. “We have to see where this takes us. But we won’t give up.”