‘Fake patient’ investigation over health minister’s visit to Colac clinic

The Health Department is investigating allegations that medical staff and their family members posed as patients for Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas’ visit to an urgent care clinic in Colac last year.

Thomas visited Colac Area Health on August 9 to “see the positive impact of equipment upgrades on staff and patients” after the Victorian government invested $221,500 in new heart-monitoring equipment, she said at the time.

Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas at a different health facility last year.Credit: Penny Stephens

An investigation, revealed by the Colac Herald, has since been launched into allegations that clinic staff and family members pretended to be patients in a staged setting for the minister’s visit.

It’s alleged 10 people were falsely admitted to urgent care for the visit and then their admissions were cancelled once the minister left.

Thomas said on Thursday she and her office had no prior knowledge of the alleged actions. She said the scandal would amount to a serious breach of trust if the allegations were substantiated.

“This has nothing whatsoever to do with my office. If anyone is suggesting that, I would take great offence,” Thomas said.

‘This has nothing whatsoever to do with my office. If anyone is suggesting that, I would take great offence.’

Mary-Anne Thomas

“We’re taking these allegations very seriously, they are being investigated. But that investigation is ongoing, and I don’t have anything further to add to that.

“However, let me say this, if these allegations prove to be true, that is a very significant breach of trust that has been perpetrated by some in the health service and I certainly would take a very dim view of any employees or others who have been involved in this.”

A whistleblower made claims to the Victorian Public Sector Commission in late August.

The complaint was referred to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, which found it was not within its remit, and then to the office of the Victorian Ombudsman, which last week notified the Department of Health it was not investigating further.

Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas (second from left) with staff at the Colac Area Health clinic on August 9.Credit: Twitter

The department began its own investigation last week.

Liberal MP Richard Riordan, whose Polwarth electorate covers Colac, defended the health service and said it was highlighting the need for more funding.

Liberal MP Richard Riordan.

He has previously been on the board and his wife currently works for Colac Area Health.

“The situation is, we have a small country hospital,” Riordan said.

“The A&E handles twice the amount of people it was ever built for. The waiting room is the size of a disabled toilet.

“This is just a desperate community that has done all it can to highlight to the minister in a fair way that it needs more funding.”

Opposition Leader John Pesutto said Thomas should have informed the public as soon as she became aware of the allegations, and called for an independent review.

“This is a scandal,” he said. “We are calling on the Allan Labor government to commission a truly independent inquiry into this matter. Not a sham inquiry,” Pesutto said.

‘We are aware of an anonymous complaint which is being appropriately actioned.’

Timothy Greene, board chair of Colac Area Health

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said the health system was under significant pressure.

“It seems you can’t get a hospital bed in this state, but you can if you’re a fake patient,” she said.

Colac Area Health chair Timothy Greene said all complaints and feedback would be taken seriously.

“Our community is at the heart of everything we do,” Greene said.

“We are aware of an anonymous complaint which is being appropriately actioned, and we are unable to comment further at this time.”

Colac Otway Shire councillor Tosh-Jake Finnigan said the community’s faith in the health service had been shattered and called for the sackings of the chief executive and board chief.

A Department of Health spokeswoman confirmed the investigation was under way.

“We’re working closely with Colac Area Health on the matter, and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time,” she said.

A government spokeswoman said the alleged behaviour was completely inappropriate, and there would be serious consequences if the allegations stacked up.

Thomas, who said she hoped the investigation would be resolved as quickly as possible, could not recall meeting any patients that day.

“I do recall it was pretty busy at Colac that day, but I had no reason to be suspicious about what I saw,” Thomas said.

She said she would have no concerns with staff handing communications to investigators and no reason to believe there was a wider problem.

“I think, and certainly hope, if these allegations prove to be true, that they were a once-off.”

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