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Support worker charged over alleged 'callous' abuse of disabled residents

Friday, 14 October 2022

Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People deputy chief executive Amanda Bleckmann discusses a recent abuse incident of disabled people in residential care and the response.

A Hamilton disability residential care provider staff member has been charged with common assault after a whistle-blower took covert video recordings of alleged abuse and reported it to the Health and Disability Commission.

The videos showed a Spectrum Care Waikato staff member pulling the hair of and “callously” pushing two women with learning disabilities to the ground while training them to load a dishwasher and change their bedding, according to a report released by Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People under the Official Information Act (OIA).

The incident came to light in August during the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry - Institutional Response hearing, when Commissioner Paul Gibson asked Whaikaha representatives: are disabled people safe in residential care today?

Whaikaha's deputy chief executive of operational design and delivery, Amanda Bleckmann, responded by sharing comments of a 'recent example' of abuse. She said managers involved were 'shocked that their systems had let them down'.

**READ MORE:

An independent investigation for the Ministry of Health found evidence of “seriously assaultive behaviour”.
An independent investigation for the Ministry of Health found evidence of “seriously assaultive behaviour”.

* Disabled people report higher rates of sexual, physical violence, new research shows

* Abuse in Care: A power shift needed from systems to whānau, commissioner says

* UN disability rights experts concerned with NZ progress, call for urgent action

**

Bleckmann’s comments related to an incident on February 9, when an anonymous complainant reported a case of abuse to the Health and Disability Commission and Spectrum; the staff member involved was immediately dismissed.

Spectrum, which currently supports around 1700 disabled people and receives $70 million in funding, also undertook an internal investigation.

A police spokesperson said a 66-year-old woman was facing four charges in relation to the incident, including two charges of other common assault and two charges of failure to protect under-18-year-olds.

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An independent investigation for the Ministry of Health (MOH) interviewed 46 people, and found evidence of “seriously assaultive behaviour” by a staff member who was “trusted within the organisation”.

The anonymous complainant suggested that this particular staff member was on duty when unexpected injuries were recorded, however the report could not establish that unexplained injuries were more likely to occur when that particular staff member was on duty.

The investigation also looked at why the anonymous complainant went to great lengths to hide cameras and film covert video recordings as evidence it was happening.

The report stated: “It was widely felt that people could get away with things because there were no consequences.”

The investigation found that people were reluctant to complain because they wouldn’t be listened to or staff would lose shifts as punishment.

Whaikaha’s Amanda Bleckmann speaks at the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry in August.
Whaikaha’s Amanda Bleckmann speaks at the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry in August.

Other workers said they found it difficult to speak up because it would “come back on me” or put their work visa at risk.

Some family members also raised concerns about making complaints because they “don’t want to make a fuss” or worried it would make things worse for their family members in the home.

Spectrum did have strategies in place for people to make complaints via email or phone, however a “surprising number of staff spoken to were not aware this is available”, the MOH report said.

The report said Spectrum took the feedback “very seriously and acted quickly”.

In a statement, Spectrum said it took breaches of its abuse, harm or neglect policy “extremely seriously”, and had since developed an action plan to provide appropriate support to alleged victims and their whānau.

Recommendations from the independent review included house leaders having “strong person-centred Enabling Good Live values”, clarifying behavioural advice in individual risk plans, whānau having access to bank statements and running consumer meetings at more houses.

All recommendations were “implemented with urgency”, Spectrum said.

Spectrum chief executive Sean Stowers said the organisation would “continue to reflect on this incident and how we can ensure people always speak out”, and has also signed a joint venture agreement on the Violence Prevention Diverse Communities Project for Disabled People.

The alleged victims have been much more settled since the issues were addressed, the MOH report said, with progress notes showing there had been “more smiling and laughing” and they were “doing well”.

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