Police and royal commission likely to probe ‘emergency situation’ at Earle Haven Gold Coast nursing home

Police and the royal commission into elder abuse will be likely looking into the situation that left 70 elderly residents of Earle Haven retirement village abandoned yesterday.

Health Minister Steven Miles speaks to the media

Police and the royal commission into elder abuse will be likely looking into the situation that left 70 elderly residents of Earle Haven retirement village abandoned yesterday.

Concerns have been raised about patient records and medication missing from the facility and are likely to be the subject of further investigation by authorities according to Health Minister Steven Miles.

Minister Miles, who spoke outside of the now empty Earle Haven retirement home this morning, said the abandonment of residents was an “emergency situation” which has put patients in danger.

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Health Minister Steven Miles speaks to the media.

The operation to remove over 70 patients from the complex required 20 additional ambulance crews.

Concerns have been raised about missing patient records and medication which meant Gold Coast health staff had to piece patient records together with the little information in hand and by contacting local GPs.

“Police will likely have an interest in the correct disposal of patient pharmaceuticals.”

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“No doubt police will be involved in assessing whether any offences occurred.

“The police have provided great assistance.”

Minister Miles said the Queensland government was not aware of the situation brewing at the facility, which is under federal jurisdiction, and were alarmed at the last minute call to triple-0 yesterday afternoon.

Health Minster Steven Miles and Member for Gaven Meghan Scanlon with health staff

Minister Miles said the health service had to step in to “rescue” the patients from the emergency situation.

“While our ambos and our health staff are the heroes of all of this we can’t underestimate how distressing it has been for residents and their families.

“These are older, frail Queenslanders, many of them suffering dementia,” Minister Miles said.

“If you can imagine being woken in the middle of the night and supported by an ambulance to another location without all of your personal effects — it has been very distressing and should never have happened.

“It should never have come to this.”

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Member from Gaven Meghan Scanlon, who spent the night helping residents transport from the facility, has thanked all staff who assisted.

“We are calling on the federal government to do a full investigation on why this happened to ensure a situation like this does not happen again, but also to make sure we have places for all of these people to stay in permanently.”