‘Disturbed’: Damning claims over patient conditions at Barwon Health’s Swanston Centre unit
Family members of patients at a Geelong psychiatric unit have told of concerns over alleged conditions inside the facility, with one taking her fight to the state and federal government.
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Family members of patients at a Geelong psychiatric ward have spoken out about concerns over alleged conditions inside the facility, with one taking her fight to the state and federal government.
Sally*, not her real name, whose father spent weeks inside the Swanston Centre acute psychiatric admissions unit, has vowed to be a voice for improved care at the centre, describing it as a “glorified prison”.
She claims to have witnessed soiled linen left in common areas during her routine visits, claiming she had been left “rattled” by her experiences inside the mental health facility.
It comes after the body of a woman, 54, was found at the clinic on Tuesday, with a coroner investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.
Sally said it was one of multiple incidents during her dad’s involuntary admission that “shook” her up.
“The longer he was in there the more disturbed I was with some of the behaviour I was witnessing,” she said.
“There were flies buzzing around disgusting bedding that was on a couch in the common area, right next to where everyone eats.
“People sit down there to paint, to read books. It’s right next to the dining area.
“I understand people have accidents, but it was a bit much.”
Another woman, Linda, not her real name, whose daughter is a patient, said she had also seen excrement on tiles and flooring in recent weeks.
“It is really bad of late,” she said.
“There has been complaints about it even from the patients.
“Staff are certainly aware there is an odour in there, but they can’t do much about it.”
Sally has written to Deputy Prime Minister and Corio MP Richard Marles, and Geelong MP Christine Couzens, seeking answers on what is acceptable practice.
She described conditions inside the unit as “overwhelming” and “scary”.
“It is a glorified prison,” she said.
“They are vulnerable patients in there for a reason and no one is advocating for them.
“They are not living in a clean and hygienic environment.”
Barwon Health’s acting director of mental health, drugs and alcohol services, Maree Bennett, said it was their expectation soiled linen was removed from common areas as soon as possible.
“We apologise that there was a delay in this instance,” she said.
Ms Bennett said the ward had a multi-disciplinary team of highly skilled nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, as well as peer support workers who were “committed to providing compassionate and high-quality treatment and care for consumers and their families”.
Health and Community Services Union state secretary, Paul Healy, said the Swanston Centre was one of many dilapidated mental health units across the state, claiming it had a “poor line of sight”, was “dark, tired looking” and had “poor amenities”.
He called a Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System a “great innovation” into issues he says have “plagued the system for years”.
“Funding remains below what it costs to run services and many units run in the red every single day,” he said.
“Staffing does not meet the requirement to provide a therapeutic environment to ensure the best outcomes for the consumer, their families, carers and supporters.”
Ms Bennett said staffing levels at the Swanston Centre reflected the number and complexity of consumers in the ward at any one time, and were consistent with guidelines set by the Department of Health.
“In recent years, the Swanston Centre has been refurbished and a new four-bed intensive care area has been added for assessment and treatment, creating a safer and more secure environment to care for the most acutely unwell patients,” she said
* Names changed for legal reasons.
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Originally published as ‘Disturbed’: Damning claims over patient conditions at Barwon Health’s Swanston Centre unit
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