Royal Commission hears Earle Haven staff member feared others would ‘punch her head in’

The Royal Commission into Aged Care has heard a claim that an Earle Haven staff member said others wanted to ‘punch her head in’ for doing one important thing.

Earle Haven’s nursing home wing closed abruptly on July 11. Picture: Adam Head.

A STAFF member at Earle Haven allegedly told ambulance services others wanted to “punch her head in” for saving vital patient documents during the nursing home evacuation.

According to testimony from Senior Operations Supervisor Carey Strong from the Queensland Ambulance service at the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety today, a “young woman” was able to give two folders of documents to medical officers who arrived at the scene.

Taxis leaving the Earle Haven Nursing Home on July 12. Picture: AAP.

Mr Strong was notified of the incident the day of the evacuation on July 11th. He arrived at the site shortly after, where QAS staff were unable to locate vital information.

“I asked initially could I have patient care plans. I was advised they were on a computer and that computer had since left the premises,” he said.

“I asked then could someone go through facilities and provide me with whatever documentation they could.”

According to Mr Strong a young lady in a suit was able to provide him with some files which included keys to the drug safe and fire evacuation documents.

“The young lady to her credit had hung on to those folders.

“She was positioned between two police officers from Queensland Police service dur to the fact, as she stated to me, that other staff, other persons, wanted those folders and they wanted to punch her head in’,” Mr Strong said.

On arriving at the Earle Haven nursing home to assess the situation Mr Strong said he saw a removalist truck and a small ute and noticed other items of vital infrastructure were missing.

“There was a number of furniture items in boxes that were still being moved toward the removalist truck,” Mr Strong told the Commission.

“I noticed there was a hygiene room and had a look in. There were a couple of containers of fluid. The rest had been emptied, no mops, no cups, no utensils.

“Looking in some rooms there were only a bed, no infrastructure, not linen on the bed.

“It was half stripped personal or professional items”.

Clinical manager Telecia Tuccori speaks at the Royal Commission.

The Royal Commission also heard from the nurse who called triple-0 over concerns for patient safety at the nursing home, sparking the evacuation, who said the idea was originally raised by HelpStreet Global CEO Kris Bunker that morning.

Telecia Tuccori, who was the clinical manager at the time of the event, told the Royal Commission into Aged Care she was aware of the ongoing disagreements between owners PeopleCare and her employer HelpStreet.

It was only half an hour after a meeting with HelpStreet CEO Kris Bunker at 1pm that she moved to notify Queensland Ambulance Service after she became concerned about patient safety.

“There was definitely not enough (staff) to provide the appropriate amount of care for all of them, and I certainly wasn’t going to be responsible for saying everyone can stay, we won’t escalate this further and there being an incident,” she said.

Ms Tuccori said she was with HelpStreet official, Facility Director at the clinic Karen Parsons, at the time of the call.

According to Ms Tuccori HelpStreet CEO Kris Bunker originally raised the idea of calling triple-0 earlier that morning when he told staff of the dispute with nursing home owner People Care.

“It was only raised as a possibility depending on the outcome of what was going to happen.”

Ms Tuccori said.

According to staff Mr Bunker has no clinical experience.

“I was uncertain of what the outcome would be even if it was to eventuate that HelpStreet was to leave. There was nothing to suggest that (Earle Haven owner Arthur Miller) wasn’t going to offer to pay the staff for their next shift.

“There was a large array of better outcomes.”

It was understood by Ms Tuccori that Mr Bunker expected People Care to pay a partial sum of around $850,000 to continue the service at the nursing home.

“He did say he was communicating with Mr Miller’s lawyer as well but with minimal effect I guess you could say.”

Ms Tuccori said that items were removed throughout the day while residents were in the dining room eating lunch.

“It was just furniture that Help Street had purchased during their time there,” she said

The items removed included 13 mattresses, which were taken from unoccupied rooms and swapped from patient beds.

“I can tell you if anything was taken off, a likeness was put back,” Ms Tuccori said.

“There were no occupied rooms that were left without any furniture.”

Ms Tuccori said she was also aware the computer server containing patient details had been removed the day before.

“When I was told I was told it would only be for that evening and would return the next day,” she said.

The hearing continues.