A major regional Victorian health service has faced court after being charged by the workplace regulator over the death of a patient in one of its psychiatric facilities.
In late December 2022, a woman took her own life while undergoing treatment at the Swanston Centre, a Barwon Health-run acute psychiatric unit in Geelong.
Barwon Health has been charged over the death of a patient in one of its psychiatric facilities.Credit: Getty Images
Barwon Health is facing two charges of failing to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, people other than employees were not exposed to health and safety risks, WorkSafe said in a statement on Monday.
Melissa Greeves, a lawyer for Barwon Health, appeared at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday morning for a brief hearing and argued against the release of some information to the media.
While Greeves did not object to the charge sheets being released publicly, she raised concerns about some of the details of the case being released because it was in the very early stages of the court proceedings.
However, the magistrate said the contents of the charge sheets – with the name of the patient and those involved redacted to protect their identities – formed part of the court record.
He allowed the documents to be released for fair and accurate reporting of the case.
The Swanston Centre provides intensive mental health care to adults and is staffed by psychiatrists, mental health nurses, social workers and occupational therapists.
Last year, the Geelong Advertiser reported that a coronial inquest had been launched after a 54-year-old woman – a patient at the centre – was found dead inside the facility in the early hours of April 9, 2024.
Months later, in June last year, another inquest was sparked after a 22-year-old female patient also died at the centre.
All inpatient deaths in Victorian mental health wards are referred to the coroner and are subject to review.
Another patient, 44-year-old Allison Naomi Eagle, was found unresponsive in her bed at the Swanston Centre on the morning she was due to be discharged in 2021.
After her death, her family raised concerns about the care she had received, sparking a coronial inquiry.
Last year, coroner Paul Lawrie said in his findings that he was unable to determine the exact cause of Eagle’s death but he was satisfied Barwon Health had acted appropriately.
“Despite an exhaustive postmortem examination and biochemistry and toxicological investigations, I am unable to determine the exact cause of Ms Eagle’s death,” he wrote.
“I cannot say with sufficient certainty whether the medications administered to Ms Eagle contributed to her death.
“Having considered all the evidence, I am satisfied that there are no suspicious circumstances associated with Ms Eagle’s death.”
The 2022 case is due to return to court in April.
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