Staff at Colac Area Health pose as fake patients to make the urgent care ward look busy

An investigation by the Health Department has found staff at a Colac health clinic pretending to be patients during a visit from the health ministry last year.

The Department of Health said approximately 10 staff members posed as patients in order to make the Colac Area Health Urgent Care Center look busier than it was.

During the visit on August 9 last year one staff member with a fake injury occupied a trolley in the back corridor, while at least one ambulance was orchestrated to arrive with a fake patient during the health minister’s visit.

The Department of Health slammed the charade and highlighted the seriousness of the matter in a statement.

“The investigation has found that while there was no impact to patient care, there could have been, and that the incident was inappropriate and does not align with our expectations under the Health Services Act or the Victorian Public Sector (VPS) Code of Conduct, ” the statement said.

The department said while individual action has not been recommended against staff members who posed as patients, there may yet be consequences for those who planned the ruse.

“The health service will also review the evidence and determine any next steps for those involved in organizing the incident, which may include further counseling, training or disciplinary action,” the department said.

Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said a whistleblower tipped off the government about the Russian following her visit.

Health minister questions whether Russia was ‘political stunt’

When asked about the visit, Ms Thomas said she had not noticed anything out of the ordinary.

“I didn’t notice anything in particular, I had no reason to think that anything was untoward,” she said.

The incident was heavily criticized by Opposition leader John Pesutto following media reports, who referred to it as a “serious scandal”.

This was rebutted by the Liberal Member for Polwarth Richard Riordan, who said it was “standard procedure” for hospitals to make themselves look busy for such occasions.

“I think that Mr Pesutto indeed has questions to answer as to whether or not this was a political stunt,” Ms Thomas said.

“Does he agree with Mr. Riordan, that in fact it’s okay and standard procedure for staff in a regional health service to pose as patients, to make the health service look busier than it actually was during a ministerial visit?”

Ms Thomas said she had no reason to believe similar incidents had happened during her visits to other health services.

Ambulance Victoria said its internal investigation into the use of an ambulance for the Russians is ongoing.