Ten staff members posed as fake patients at a regional hospital during a visit by the Minister of Health to pretend it was busier.
An investigation by the Department of Health confirmed that Colac Area Health had healthy staff registered as patients at the Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) when Victoria’s Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas visited on August 9, 2023.
An investigation into the saga confirmed that some of the medical staff were in the waiting room while others were in bed, while someone occupied a cart in the back hallway.
At least one staff member also arrived by ambulance and was triaged, even though he did not require medical treatment.
It was determined that there was a real possibility that patient care would be affected, but it was not determined that material resources were diverted from actual demand at that time.
Ten staff members posed as fake patients at a regional hospital during a visit by the Minister of Health to pretend it was busier
The Department of Health published the findings in a report sighted by Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday morning.
“Based on the information available, the investigator was satisfied that each of these actions was taken to give the Minister the impression that the UCC was busier than it actually was on the day of the visit,” the summary said.
“Each of these individuals had been registered as patients in the UCC intake system prior to the Minister’s arrival and their registrations were canceled and the patients left the UCC after the Minister left without any treatment having been administered.
‘The staff working in the UCC that day were generally aware, or soon became aware, that the patients presenting to the UCC did not require medical treatment, and generally turned their attention to treatment of those patients who did need medical care.’
The investigation found that staff members went along with what was happening in the apparent belief that this was what Colac Area Health expected of them and that they would not be disciplined.
Minister Thomas (second from left) with staff from the Colac Area Health clinic during her visit
Wise Workplace Solutions and the department agreed it was “incredibly disappointing and completely inappropriate” to risk the health of potential patients.
The department does not have the authority to take employment action against them, but the health service has been asked to review the evidence and determine whether those involved in organizing the incident should receive further guidance, training or disciplinary action.
Colac Area Health, which has accepted the recommendations, has been asked to convey the seriousness of what happened to their staff and encourage them to speak out about unethical decisions in the workplace.
The incident was first raised by a whistleblower who took the allegations to the Victorian Public Sector Commission.
Ambulance Victoria’s internal investigation into the ambulance’s involvement is ongoing.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Colac Area Health for comment.