Fagan family reacts to report on patient care at Hobart dementia facility
Roy Fagan’s family have expressed their distress at the “grave shortcomings” in care standards at the dementia centre named in his honour.
Tasmania
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THE family of the man after whom a Tasmanian dementia centre is named has expressed their disappointment that any vulnerable patients had been failed at the facility and has urged the government to restore high-care standards.
Peter and James Fagan said they were aware of the distressing incident at the Roy Fagan Centre in December last year when a patient was found with a maggot-infested wound.
The centre is named in honour of their father Roy, a dementia sufferer.
It is also a legacy of their mother Mavis’s tireless advocacy on behalf of dementia sufferers and their families.
“We were deeply disappointed to learn that the centre had failed even one of its vulnerable patients,” the pair said in a statement released on Sunday.
Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff this month released the report into the care given to a 78-year-old dementia patient.
The report found short-staffing and other preventable shortcomings had contributed to the man receiving inadequate care. It also recommended changes the government said it would follow.
Labor has since accused the government of keeping the report under wraps until after the state election.
“We note that a thorough investigation has been undertaken by Chief Psychiatrist Aaron Groves and that the Tasmanian government has admitted grave shortcomings in the funding and operation of the centre,” the Fagan family said.
“We acknowledge that there appears to be a commitment by the government to ensure in future a high standard of care at the centre.
“While we are aware of the high costs of healthcare and the many burdens facing governments in these challenging times, we do urge the government, public and mental health administrators, medical and nursing staff and families of patients to work diligently and together to restore and perpetuate the highest possible standards at the Roy Fagan Centre.”
Claims government stalled damning report release
THE state government deliberately delayed the release of a damning inquiry into the Roy Fagan Centre until after the election, Labor says.
Opposition health spokesman Bastian Seidel says as a doctor, he had never seen a case of maggots in a patient’s wounds, even in the poorest parts of Africa.
Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff released a report into the care given to a 78-year-old dementia patient at the centre after complaints raised by his family last Christmas.
It that short staffing and other preventable shortcomings had contributed to the man receiving inadequate care and recommended changes.
Dr Seidel said the case was yet another failure to properly care for vulnerable people — and the government had sat on the report for months.
“The report into the Roy Fagan Centre was released to the Secretary of the Department of Health on the 15th of March — before the election. It was not released before the election,” he said.
“Only now, on the day when Labor announced its new shadow ministry, Minister Rockcliff as Acting Premier decided to release the report on the quiet in the evening.”
He said the government was “missing in action” on crises in health, mental health, the ambulance service among other sectors, an it was always the most vulnerable who bore the brunt.
Apologising for the shortcomings of an underfunded and understaffed system was all very well, but making real changes was the test of sincere commitment, he said.
“It’s a funny way how we deal with responsibility in the 21st century, isn’t it? We apologise and then nothing happens.
“It’s completely unacceptable. What’s he going to do? It’s a 95 page report. And one of the outcomes of the call is to look at a 12 month project to look at better staffing levels.
“The Minister could have already appointed more nursing staff and more care staff yesterday, last week, last month, three months ago, when they got the report.
“It’s a call for action, not a call for excuses.
“Responsibility means demonstrating outcomes that matter to patients who actually in need of that care. And this government isn’t going to do it.
“There’s a reason why they’ve changed health ministers three times in three years time. If you change ministers, nobody can be held accountable.
“So saying that ‘I take responsibility’ is quite cheap. Action is what matters to people.”
Minister apologises for patient’s maggot infested wounds - Tuesday, July 14
AN investigation has found inadequate care preceded the discovery of maggots in the wounds of a diabetic dementia patient at the state’s top mental health facility.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Minister Jeremy Rockliff has taken responsibility for the incident and spoken to the man’s family before releasing an inquiry report which also revealed significant staffing shortfalls at the Roy Fagan Centre.
“On behalf of the Tasmanian government, I unreservedly apologise to the patient’s family,” he said.
“I’d also like to acknowledge their courage and the deep commitment that they’ve demonstrated throughout.
“Clearly, we can do better. We owe it to Tasmanians … in a caring environment, such as the Roy Fagan Centre to do much, much better.”
The 78-year-old man’s condition was discovered by his family during a visit to the Roy Fagan Centre in Hobart on Christmas Day last year.
He smelled, hadn’t been showered for three days and had maggots in injuries to his legs.
“Even animals are looked after to stop them getting flyblown — that’s what has happened to my dad. He’s been fly blown. It’s just neglect,” his daughter said at the time.
“He worked hard all his life and paid his taxes. When he needs care and support he should be able to get that.
“You don’t want to be sat in a corner and have flies eat you, and that’s what has happened to dad.”
The man and his family cannot be identified due to the provisions of the Mental Health Act.
The inquiry, conducted by Chief Psychiatrist Aaron Groves was called after the man’s family raised his case in the Mercury. Among the findings:
* The standard of care provided to the man in the 24 hours before Christmas 2020 did not meet acceptable standards;
* The Roy Fagan Centre lacks a contemporary model of care;
* The centre didn’t have enough staff, or the right categories of staff: “this has a major significant negative impact on the level of care”.
* Patients who needed two people to feed, clothe, toilet or shower them may miss out on these activities, presenting staff with “distressing choices”.
* The Roy Fagan Centre is out of date and inadequate for some patients.
It recommended mental health services for older Tasmanians become a separate statewide program with dedicated leadership, proper funding and staffing.
Some details about the incident were not released, at the request of the man’s family.
Mr Rockliff said the government accepted and would implement the report’s recommendations.
“This happened on my watch, and I have to take that responsibility as Minister and my responsibility moving forward is to ensure that all the recommendations are implemented and that does include additional resources, which will be required,” he said.
Dr Groves said he had spent a considerable amount of time consulting with the patient’s family while preparing the report.
“They are comfortable with the way in which they were involved in the conduct of the review that they were given every opportunity to feed into the review,” he said.
AMA Tasmania Vice President Dr John Saul welcomed the “long-overdue” release of the report.
“It is important that lessons are learnt by everyone at all levels of government from the circumstances surrounding the event that led to this report,” he said.
“The report makes it clear that there is a need for more nursing and allied health staff to keep the quality of care at the level every Tasmanian should expect for themselves or their family requiring the care of the Roy Fagan Centre.
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