Premier Chris Minns to block inquiry into how police manage dementia patients

Less than a week a after 95-year-old dementia patient was tasered by police, Premier Chris Minns and his MPs are poised to block a probe into how officers deal with people living with a disability.

Premier Chris Minns and government MPs are set to block a parliamentary probe into how police can be better equipped to deal with people living with dementia and disabilities.

The push – which was yesterday backed by the chair of one of the government’s own advisory bodies – will be made by independent MP Gareth Ward on Tuesday.

It comes almost a week after police tasered 95-year-old Clare Nowland after being called to a Cooma nursing home in the early hours of last Wednesday morning.

NSW Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing chair Kathryn Greiner said an inquiry into how to better equip emergency services to manage dementia patients needed to happen with “some degree of urgency”.

“Because we don’t want what happened to poor Mrs Nowland to happen to anybody else,” the MACA chair said.

Clare Nowland was Tasered by police at an aged care home in Cooma. Picture: Supplied

Police were called to the Yallambee Lodge nursing home after staff discovered Ms Nowland with a steak knife.

Ms Greiner said that indicates something has “gone wrong” with the nursing home’s standards.

“The fact that they had to call the police tells you that there is something not up to standard in that nursing home,” Ms Greiner said.

Ms Greiner plans to write to NSW Minister for Seniors Jodie Harrison about the incident, seeking assurances from the federal government about training for the nursing home’s staff.

Premier Chris Minns will oppose an inquiry into how police treat dementia patients. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Independent MP Gareth Ward will move to set up the inquiry. Picture NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

The government will oppose Mr Ward’s motion for an inquiry.

“The focus right now needs to be on supporting the Nowland family and getting the investigation into this incident completed,” a government spokeswoman said.

Mr Ward said his inquiry would determine whether police had “adequate training to do their job and keep society’s most vulnerable safe”.

Mr Ward was re-elected in March despite battling sexual assault charges to which he has pleaded not guilty.