A SECOND Stockton Centre resident moved to a new group home in a nearby street has died in hospital, but the government says it is not changing the way it is handling proceedings.
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Stockton Centre staff are becoming increasingly outspoken about the situation facing almost 400 Stockton, Tomaree and Kanangra (Morisset) residents being moved into new group homes under the government’s “Contemporary Residential Options” plan.
As the Newcastle Herald reported earlier this month, one woman had died and another was in hospital suffering suspected dehydration after being taken from the Douglas Street, Stockton, group home.
A third resident of the group home, a man, was admitted to hospital soon after, suffering from pneumonia.
The government confirmed the man died on Saturday, telling the Herald that: “Family and Community Services is saddened to confirm that a resident of a group home managed by Ageing, Disability and Home Care has passed away following a period of palliative care.
“The palliative care plan was agreed and developed by the individual’s family and health providers who delivered the care.
“As is standard practice in such cases, the department will notify the NSW Ombudsman of the death and provide full and unrestricted access to relevant records for the ombudsman’s review.”
Stockton staff say they are concerned for those moved into group homes, arguing that the Stockton Centre had better health and medical care.
Staff say they have been told the government intends reopening up to three units at the Stockton centre, but the government denies this, saying: “There are no units being reopened at the Stockton site.”
The opposition wants an “urgent review” of the situation, describing the deaths as “entirely preventable”, with other residents still at risk.
Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp and Port Stephens MP Kate Washington wrote to Disability Services Minister Ray Williams on Thursday, saying they did not believe his “assurances” that the “level of care being delivered at the group home is meeting the needs of residents”.
They blamed the two deaths and the hospitalisation of a third resident – in John Hunter Hospital’s intensive care unit –on “inadequate care”.
They said Stockton staff recommendations about the level of care needed in the group homes had been “ignored” by the department.
As a result, the group home staff did not “have the requisite training or experience” to manage residents with “very high medical needs”.
Despite these developments, the government says the closure of Stockton, Tomaree and Kanangra “is progressing well”.
It had tendered to have the necessary 78 group homes “completed in 2018” but this depended on variables including the weather and council approvals.
