27 May 2013

Govt report on health provider finds nepotism

6:32 am on 27 May 2013

A human rights lawyer and disability advocate says a Maori intellectual disability care provider was wrong to hire whanau to look after whanau.

Between 2010 - 2012 there were 17 escapes, 14 assaults, two accounts of abuse and a fire at Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau.

A Ministry of Health report has found it failed in several areas, including having three immediate family members holding managerial roles.

Human rights lawyer Huhana Hickey said some of the cases referred to Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau are ordered by the courts - and care needs to be provided by independent professionals, not whanau.

She said people are referred by the courts because whanau have lost control of them and don't know what to do.

Dr Hickey said she personally knows people who have been cared for by Te Roopu Taurima.