A regional Victorian hospital is currently under investigation after staff and their family members allegedly posed as patients during a visit by the state’s Health Minister. On August 9, it is reported that 10 staff or their relatives presented themselves at Colac Area Health’s urgent care department within half an hour of the Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas visiting the hospital in the state’s southwest. It has been claimed that all 10 of these fake arrivals were logged in the hospital’s database but were later canceled without being discharged after the minister left. Health Minister Thomas has appointed an external investigator to look into the matter.
Ms. Thomas has promised to provide communications between her office and the hospital to the investigator and has confirmed that no request was made to ensure the clinic was busy for her visit. She expressed concern over the potential impact of this alleged stunt on individuals seeking healthcare on that particular day at the health service. Ambulance Victoria is also separately investigating the allegation as first reported by an anonymous whistleblower to the Victorian Public Sector Commission in late August. The matter was later referred to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission and the Victorian Ombudsman, both of whom declined to investigate further.
Opposition Leader John Pesutto expressed concern about the incident and suggested that a retired judge or another independent party should take over the investigation. However, local MP Richard Riordan defended the hospital’s actions, explaining that the involvement of community members who work for the hospital demonstrated capacity constraints. Colac Area Health provides medical care for around 30,000 people in the Corangamite, Colac Otway, and Surf Coast Shires.