The Health Ombudsman opened an investigation to review a health service entity’s management of a sexual assault allegation made by a vulnerable consumer in a mental health facility against an unregistered support staff member.

Wider learnings and recommendations for service improvements

The investigation highlights the opportunity for health services to:

• recognise the risk that unregistered support staff may present to vulnerable consumers, and to include as a risk on their risk registers;
• develop and implement professional boundary training for unregistered support staff that addresses the vulnerability of patients in acute mental health wards including potentially disinhibited patients and the obligations of staff to maintain professional boundaries;
• have clear processes in place to consider and document decisions regarding notifications to external agencies including the Crime and Conduct Commission, and conducting Public Interest Disclosure assessments; and
• ensure internal investigations and resultant decision making for serious conduct matters are robust, appropriately documented, and defensible.