Abuse charge sparks call to reform homes

Service providers and the Health Ministry have dismissed fresh allegations of abuses within residential care facilities for people with disabilities.

A Radio New Zealand investigation has revealed criticisms of homes run by IHC and other providers, including intimidation of residents, theft, medication errors and inadequate training.

Disabled Persons Assembly spokeswoman Lorna Sullivan, who has assessed numerous homes, said the entire sector needed reform.

She told the broadcaster that over-medication and poor dental hygiene were endemic in some homes.

She had come across staff who tolerated a resident repeatedly banging his head against a wall as "normal".

A staff member at one IHC home in Auckland was alleged to "rule by intimidation".

Training levels at another Auckland facility, run by Spectrum Care, were found to be substandard, and an audit identified numerous medication errors.

The revelations come amid damaging publicity regarding alleged abuses and mismanagement at homes run by Focus 2000, the business arm of the Cerebral Palsy Society. But IHC head Ralph Jones said the organisation had "zero tolerance" for bullying or other poor care tactics.

Spectrum Care spokeswoman Jackie Richardson told National Radio that the criticisms were isolated to one home and involved "documentation errors".

The head of the Government's disability support services, Geraldine Wood, said there was a complaints process in place and the ministry had the power to close down substandard homes or appoint managers.

- NZPA