Inquiry condemns disabled man’s care

but concluded it was most likely inserted as a result of a sexual assault.

After he was removed to another location in mid-2015 the man suffered burns after a staff member’s hot drink was left within his reach and spilled on him. After that, his mother removed him from IDEA’s care and he now lives with her.

The mother complained to the Health and Disability Commission. In a recently-released report, deputy commissioner Rose Wall found the care provided to the man ‘‘fell short of the accepted standard’’.

IDEA Services failed to identify risks and put prevention strategies in place, failed to ensure sufficiently trained staff were on duty at all times and had placed the man with a man who exhibited inappropriate behaviour towards him.

Under a service agreement IDEA Services had with the Ministry of Health, the man was supposed to have received support for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

But the two men were often cared for by just one staff member between them.

Wall said she was ‘‘very critical’’ that IDEA Services had not put processes in place to ensure there were sufficient staff on duty at all times.

After the glove was removed from the man’s bowel, a doctor said it was unlikely to have been swallowed. The doctor could not say how long it had been there, and the man was unable to tell anyone.

An independent review could not determine who was responsible, but said the glove was most likely inserted by a third party in a sexual assault. Wall was unable to make a factual finding on how or when the glove was inserted.

Wall recommended an independent review of the effectiveness of changes made in light of events highlighted in the case, and to ensure plans for each client in the organisation’s care in the man’s regional location were reviewed and up to date.

If that review found deficiencies, the commission wanted IDEA Services to extend it to a random audit of clients in its residential care facilities throughout New Zealand.

Wall also recommended that IDEA Services apologise to the man and his family.

IDEA Services acting chief executive Donna Mitchell said the organisation had apologised unreservedly for the incidents outlined in the report.

‘‘We failed in our duty of care to the person and his family.

‘‘We deeply regret the incidents, which fell short of the service and standards that our staff provide across the country every day.

‘‘It simply was not good enough in this instance.

‘‘We have and will continue to learn from this and we are implementing all the report’s recommendations, including an independent review of the local service,’’ Mitchell said.

Health Ministry group manager of disability support services Toni Atkinson said the agency was ‘‘very sorry this happened, and we acknowledge this was distressing for the person concerned, and their family’’.

‘‘This isn’t the quality of support the ministry expects of a provider and we welcome the fact that IDEA accepts all the HDC recommendations,’’ Atkinson said.