VIDEO: NDIS Commission takes action against Ipswich provider accused of abuse

The NDIS watchdog is keeping a close eye on a South East Queensland in-house care company after family and workers came forward with shocking allegations of abuse.

An Ipswich care provider, the centre of shocking alleged abuse, is now under close monitoring by the industry’s body following whistleblowers’ claims.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme Quality and Safeguards Commission is closely monitoring an Palmville Group Homes following a number of claims which included violence against clients, financial abuse, and squalor.

A disability support worker, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and a former client’s family made the allegations against Palmville Group Homes in May.

The allegations included claims a man was threatened with sexual assault.

‘If you keep misbehaving, I’m going to take you back to the park and they are going to rape you at that tree again’,” the worker recalled hearing.

The company operates three National Disability Insurance Scheme support facilities for residents with mental illness, alcohol-related dementia, brain injury, intellectual impairment and homelessness.

A NDIS Commission spokesman said in June it had taken action to ensure Palmville was aware of, and meeting, obligations under the NDIS code of conduct and legislation.

The spokesman said strong regulations were in place and would be enacted if providers or workers failed to uphold obligations.

He said the commission was also working closely with participants, family members, and carers to address all issues raised.

“The NDIS Commission continues to closely monitor this NDIS provider and will consider whether any further action is warranted,” he said.

“Monitoring [will] occur through analysis of complaints, reportable incidents, site visits and other forms of intelligence.

“This includes working proactively with all providers to ensure they are meeting their obligations to uphold the right of participants to receive safe and quality support.”

The commission’s enforcement powers include the ability to issue banning orders and compliance notices, penalty notices, enter into enforceable undertakings, take injunctions, commence civil penalties prosecutions, and revoke registrations.

As of the end of August, no noncompliance or enforcement notices were issued to Palmville Group Homes.

Along with the allegation of the threat of sexual abuse, the former Palmville Group Homes disability support worker claimed she allegedly witnessed an assault on an intellectually impaired man who had allegedly eaten outside of scheduled dinner times.

“It breaks my heart just talking about it,” she said.

“They’re vulnerable, they don’t have anyone else to speak for them, or family to check in and see if they’re okay.

“We, as support workers, are their voices and if it were me and my family, I would hope that someone would do the same.”

The disability care worker said she made complaints to the NDIS Commission years ago but heard nothing back.

Palmville Group Homes made headlines earlier in the year when its directors appeared before the Ipswich Magistrates Court on behalf of their company.

The company pleaded guilty to running one of its NDIS residential services unregistered for a number of years, and was fined $19,500.

* Note: The above allegations are in relation to the care at the North Ipswich facility at Edith Drive which was bought by Palmville Group Homes in 2018 and ran unregistered until February 2022.