National

Hospital staff involved in fake patients' ruse

By AAP Newswire

May 1, 2024

A paramedic outside St. Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne — One ambulance arrived at the clinic with a fake patient during the minister's visit. -AAP Image

Hospital workers who pretended to be patients to make a regional health facility look busy during a visit from the heath minister won't be disciplined.

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A Victorian Health Department probe found a group "of approximately 10 staff" pretended to be patients by sitting in the waiting room of Colac Area Health's Urgent Care Centre in August 2023.

The full report has not been made public but the executive summary stated there was a "real possibility" that patient care could have been impacted.

It also found arrangements had been made for at least one ambulance to arrive at the clinic with a person who did not require medical treatment and a staff member who didn't need treatment was on a trolley in a corridor.

"Each of those actions were taken in order to make it appear to the minister that the (clinic) was busier than it actually was on the day of the visit," the summary said.

The probe recommended the fake patients who did not organise the incident should not face disciplinary action, which the department agreed to.

However, those who organised it could face further action.

"The health service will also review the evidence and determine any next steps for those involved in organising the incident, which may include further counselling, training or disciplinary action," the department said in a statement.