New order handed to employee who assaulted elderly dementia patient
The woman convicted of assaulting an 85-year-old woman with dementia at the nursing home she worked at has been given more restrictions by the health commission.
Northern District Times
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A woman convicted of assaulting an 85-year-old woman with dementia at the Epping nursing home she worked at has been given more restrictions by the health commission.
Dana Gray is currently serving a 17-month imprisonment sentence by way of home detention for assaulting a then 85-year-old woman in 2017 while working as an assistant in nursing at Estia Health The Poplars Aged Care Facility.
The 60-year-old is now banned from providing any health services in any capacity, either paid or voluntarily by the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission.
The facility has been contacted for comment.
The commission imposed the order after an investigation concluded she breached a code of conduct which states a health practitioner must provide health services in a safe and ethical manner.
It said Gray’s conduct towards the victim was deliberate and involved, “repeated acts of violence on an extremely vulnerable victim”.
The commission said the victim was, “entirely defenceless and was unable to effectively communicate with staff as a result of her medical condition”.
The incident was captured by a camera a concerned employee placed inside the victim’s room, which showed the victim being slapped in the face, sobbing and having her head dragged side to side by her hair.
During Gray’s trial last year Magistrate Robyn Denes described her behaviour as “gratuitous and heartless” with an “extreme” degree of violence.
“There was not just one push or one slap,” Ms Denes said.
“You repeatedly yelled at her, you grabbed her clothing and when she screamed you slapped her. The entire act of undressing her was cruel and violent ... and as a coupe de grace, you hit her with her rubbish bag.
“The humiliation of the victim was complete.”
Gray initially tried to have her charge of common assault (domestic violence) dismissed on the grounds of mental illness before the courts last year.
It was deemed inappropriate and she subsequently pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted.
Gray’s term of imprisonment is due to expire on February 19, 2020.