Response to an article published by The Age
Alfred Health’s response to an article published online by The Age newspaper about the care of a former patient.
“Like other healthcare services, we sometimes treat patients with complex conditions and behaviours. In these circumstances we focus on providing the best possible care and support to both patient and family, while acting to protect the safety and wellbeing of staff.
“Late last year, a young man was admitted to hospital after being seriously injured in a fall. His challenging condition and behaviours made it difficult to support his needs.
“Our staff worked closely with his family from the beginning. They were involved in decisions about his care and recognised the difficulty of supporting him effectively in the hospital environment.
“Every effort was made to minimise the need for restraints and, while use substantially decreased over time, they were required to protect our patient, and to protect our staff following a number of severe assaults.
“We involved other clinical specialists and experts in disability to provide greater support to the patient and his family.
“The patient remained in hospital until suitable long-term accommodation was identified by the Department of Health and Human Services.”
These comments may be attributed to a spokesperson for Alfred Health.
