Nursing scandal: investigations against 16 people
After the resignation of the green deputy governor Heinrich Schellhorn – in connection with the scandal – the supervision is now his successor Martina Berthold (also green).
According to the public prosecutor’s office, there are no politicians among the 16 people who are being criminally investigated by the judiciary. There are those responsible for the nursing home, said Elena Haslinger, spokeswoman for the public prosecutor’s office. The investigations were initially conducted against unknown perpetrators.
“No excuses for human rights violations”
What the Ombudsman and uncoverer Bernhard Achitz, after weeks and months of his own research, does not want to accept as a justification of coincidence is the difficult personnel situation in the care sector: “A lack of staff must never be an excuse for human rights violations or conditions that are questionable in terms of human rights.”
Ombudsman continues to criticize heavily
“There are still quite a few differences in the findings between the Ombudsman Board and the home supervisor, who are apparently still convinced that they have done everything right. However, in the case of such conditions that are questionable in terms of human rights, they should have to intervene immediately, ”said Achitz on Friday.
He welcomes the fact that the first steps have already been taken in Salzburg, such as the fact that internal auditing has been involved, says Achitz: “The Ombudsman’s Office will take a close look at their report. It is also positive to note that the Salzburg Nursing Care Act is to be amended. Then hopefully there will also be a clear definition of what the minimum standards for good care look like.”
How everything got rolling
In a first report by the Ombudsman Office, significant lack of care in the senior citizens’ home of the private provider in the city of Salzburg became known at the beginning of September 2022. During an unannounced inspection in April 2022, serious shortcomings were discovered, probably due to understaffing, a very high number of sick leave and overworked staff. A commission came across malnourished and neglected residents. A woman who died later weighed only 42.5 kilos and was so sore that the coccyx bone was clearly visible through the open wound.
“The Salzburg Home Supervision is limited to recommendations instead of intervening,” recorded the Ombudsman’s Office in its first report at the time. Even now that the Ombudsman’s Office has received a statement from the state of Salzburg, they continue to criticize them, especially with regard to the minimum standards of care and control.
Nationwide rules required
Achitz continues to call for a nationwide uniform regulation for home supervision and care and does not want to give up, even Social Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) has pointed out that care is a state matter and therefore his options are limited.
The care scandal in Salzburg also had political consequences. Social officer and LH deputy Heinrich Schellhorn (Greens) had to resign.
Nursing scandal: Criticism of reappraisal
The Ombudsman criticizes the treatment of the care scandal in the SeneCura home in Salzburg Lehen. She had uncovered grievances with neglected, dehydrated and bedridden residents and requested statements from the state and the ministry – more on this in salzburg.ORF.at (11/11/2022)