Drip IV Australia intravenous health company receivership sparks staff claims

Furious staff claim they are owed tens of thousands amid the receivership of an intravenous health drip company on the Gold Coast, run by an award-winning businesswoman. FULL STORY

The intravenous health drip operation run by an award-winning Gold Coast businesswoman is in receivership, facing staff claims of unpaid wages and super plus “illegally” using Australian scripts for clients in New Zealand.

Receivers were appointed to Drip IV Australia – a mobile intravenous vitamin infusion company – on January 30 by small business lender Bizcap over an unpaid loan agreement.

Staff claim Drip IV Australia - whose sole director is Kristie Baird - allegedly owes thousands in staff wages and unpaid superannuation.

Ms Baird is the 2021 Entrepreneur of the Year, 2022 Business Woman of the Year and 2023 Business News Australia Trailblazer of the Year.

One employee has claimed to the Bulletin they were owed $9000 in unpaid leave, wages and super. Another claims they were owed $3000, a third claims they are owed $6000 in unpaid wages and unpaid leave, a fourth claims they are owed one month of pay and a fifth claimed they were owed $11,400 in wages and super. Former Drip IV New Zealand employee Jesse Hylands claimed he is owed $21,400.

Mr Hylands claimed in an unfair dismissal case with the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) in New Zealand in 2022 that separately the Kiwi arm of Drip IV was “illegally” using Australian scripts not signed by a Kiwi doctor for New Zealand clients.

Kristie Baird, the sole director of Drip IV Australia which has gone into receivership. Picture: Kristie Baird Facebook

Drip IV Australia, responding to the allegations put to it by the Bulletin, is rejecting all the claims as false and damaging and said in future it would address all the claims once legal action was complete.

ERA DECISION

In the ERA decision, Mr Hylands was found to have “raised reasonable concerns about how (Drip IV) operated: Jesse learned Drip IV did not appear to use a NZ-registered doctor for prescribing clients in NZ. This gave rise to serious concerns...

“Jesse had noticed the same doctor seemed to be signing off both Australian and New Zealand prescriptions,” the ERA decision notes.

“He did not want to risk acting outside his scope of practice as a registered nurse,” the ERA decision states, adding he asked Drip IV via email for “proof of who was prescribing for NZ clients”.

“He said if all prescriptions were signed by the doctor named (not a NZ doctor) they were illegal for use in NZ. Until he had proof, Jesse could not legally see clients,” the ERA stated.

Soon after Drip IV’s director stood him down “until further notice” before it terminated his employment on April 14, 2022.

The ERA decision does not make a judgment on the legality of the Drip IV NZ operation or whether Mr Hyland’s claims were true, but accepted he suffered financial losses “due to Drip IV’s unjustified dismissal of him”.

“Jesse described how he believed he had been dismissed by Drip IV in retaliation for raising his professional concerns...he reasonably believed would put him at risk of breaching his professional and legal obligations as a registered nurse,” the decision states.

The ERA ordered Drip IV to pay him compensation of $15,000 plus wages, holiday pay and Kiwisaver super of almost $6000.

Outside the Burleigh Heads office for Drip IV recently after the doors closed to staff. Picture: Supplied

Mr Hylands summarised to the Bulletin what he claimed before the ERA: “Her Australian doctors were heavily over prescribing and she was using the excess vials to supply the next nine people (in New Zealand).

“Once I discovered this she fired me on the spot and I never saw a dime since.”

EX-EMPLOYEE’S CLAIMS

A former Australian employee claimed to the Bulletin that Drip IV Australia filled a prescription for ten vials but only administered one, reallocating the remaining nine in “foam boxes with ice” via international flights to New Zealand. That claim is repeated in the ERA finding in Mr Hyland’s favour - he told the ERA an Australian manager “told him to not to worry as Drip IV filled a prescription for 10 vials but only administered one, reallocating the remaining nine - Jesse had received the reallocated vials”.

The ERA in New Zealand found Mr Hylands “wholly successful in his claims in an investigation meeting”.

A Sydney-based scripting doctor told the Bulletin on Friday he wrote scripts for Drip IV Australia - and none should have been going overseas.

“I just do the scripts and make sure the patients are okay, but my scripts should have definitely not been going to New Zealand,” he alleged.

“The patient has to fill out a very in-depth form to make sure they’re accessible. I don’t monitor them actually giving the drip so the fact (Drip IV)) has (allegedly) done that is a big no no.”

The Sydney scripting doctor claimed he was owed money from Drip IV Australia.

The Bulletin has cited multiple desperate attempts staff have made requesting unpaid wages, unpaid superannuation and clarity on job security.

Staff are alleging Ms Baird had not issued separation certificates leaving them unable to claim wage assistance.

Multiple staff claim they had been logged out of staff portals showing their hours worked and monies owed and removed from communication platforms and groups such as WhatsApp.

Employees also claim they were locked out of Drip IV Australia’s Burleigh Heads office due to an unpaid lease agreement.

Commercial leasing agent Adam Young did not comment on that claim, but confirmed the commercial property was in negotiations with a new tenant.

The Bulletin cited texts between Ms Baird and nurses who are questioning using unlabelled product - and Ms Baird dismissing the concerns.

Nurses administering the intravenous products without proper labelling can impact their registration.

Staff also claim to the Bulletin they were scared and anxious working under her.

“It’s been lies upon lies from her,” one alleged. “It’s horrifying to think about.”

The Bulletin put all of the staff claims - of unpaid wages and super, and Mr Hyland’s ERA claims regarding Australian prescriptions - to Drip IV Australian management.

DRIP IV RESPONSE - ‘TAKE THESE ALLEGATIONS SERIOUSLY’

Drip IV Australia in response said all claims were false and damaging, stating the business had “not been operating and is currently not functional”.

“It is important to note our legal team is actively dealing with these allegations, and I am unable to comment further due to the ongoing legal proceedings,” the statement said.

“I assure you we take these allegations seriously and are fully cooperating with our lawyers to resolve this matter. We are committed to upholding legal and ethical standards in all aspects of our business operations.

“Once the legal process is complete, I will be more than willing to provide a detailed response to address each of these claims directly. Until then, I kindly request your understanding and patience as we work through this challenging situation.”

Ms Baird was contacted separately for comment regarding the allegations but did not respond.