Whistleblower’s pictures show dirty and stark living conditions for disabled clients at Minda’s Brighton site

A whistleblower has leaked pictures exposing alarming conditions at Minda’s Brighton site – a stark contrast to its nearby luxury beachfront retirement facility.

People with disabilities are living in squalid conditions at Minda accommodation, a whistleblower says, as shocking new photos reveal homes that are soiled and barely furnished.

The allegations have come to light as the provider sinks deeper into turmoil, with more staff resigning this week following the shock sacking of chief executive Kym Shreeve.

On Wednesday, Ms Shreeve broke her silence and told The Advertiser she was “shocked and distressed” after being sacked without warning or explanation. Several other senior managers at Minda resigned immediately.

The whistleblower, who was employed by Minda and took the photos in April, said the pictures were taken at units on the organisation’s Brighton site.

One image showing a resident with an untreated facial wound too confronting to publish.

It is understood that, while the facility is a Minda site, not all of the residents receive services from Minda – one of the state’s largest NDIS providers. The photos show the inside of one of the units, with one man’s room furnished with a mattress on the floor.

 

The grim and unwelcoming Minda unit that the whistleblower says is occupied by a man in his 40s with Down syndrome. This is his bedroom.

In other photos, faeces had been smeared on a couch and a toilet. The whistleblower said a man with Down syndrome smeared faeces over surfaces after allegedly being locked inside for upwards of five hours.

In a statement, the NDIS Commission said it does not comment on individual incidents or complaints, but confirmed it was aware of the situation at Minda.

“The NDIS Commission is aware of these allegations and is managing the matter in accordance with the NDIS rules,” the statement read.

On radio this morning, Dr Carolyn Harris said she worked five shifts at Minda about a year ago.

“From my perspective this was not person-centred care, this was care that was all based around their rosters and the rapid turnover of the support workers,” Dr Harris said.

Sam Paior, founder of disability adcocacy group The Growing Space, said: “I don’t think the standard of care at Minda is what it once was, it’s disappointing (and) it’s incredibly distressing for some families.”

“However, I don’t think we’re going to have to be really careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater because they’re looking after a large proportion of people with significant disabilities in South Australia,” Ms Paior said.

 

 

 

Messy areas of a Minda client’s unit. Picture: Supplied

A Minda spokeswoman said there were systems in place for people to raise concerns about care and support standards.

“It is unacceptable that these alleged images, purportedly taken in April ... have come to light some six months later in an effort to clearly undermine the efforts of Minda staff, who care for clients with the most complex health needs and challenging behaviours in South Australia,” she said.

The images are in stark contrast to Minda’s Brighton Dunes luxury retirement village, where penthouses were listed for sale upwards of $1.5m.

Developed in 2015, Minda said at the time the beachside building would inject funds into its community programs and services. However, the organisation is said to be in a “dire” state and sources say Ms Shreeve called a crisis board meeting shortly before her departure.

The 2019-20 annual report shows Minda had an operating revenue from government funding of $159m, understood to be about 80 per cent federal and 20 per cent state.

 

 

Tarpaulin installed at the Minda unit where a client lives. The resident is prone to removing his clothing and, instead of addressing the problem, the tarpaulin has been put up so no one can see him.

 

A dirty toilet in the home of a Minda client. Picture: Supplied

 

 

Minda’s 2020-21 annual report is due before the end of the month. The Advertiser contacted David Holst, a Minda Consultative Committee member and former Intellectual Disability Association SA chairman, but he declined to comment.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for federal NDIS Minister Linda Reynolds said “any abuse, neglect or exploitation of an NDIS participant is not tolerated”.

A spokeswoman for state Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink said her department was seeking assurances about the wellbeing of clients and staff at Minda.

Opposition human services spokeswoman Nat Cook said “no one should be living under these conditions, least of all vulnerable South Australians who rely on their community to be their voice and keep them safe”.