Ministry moves on rest home

A temporary manager has been appointed to help run a 140-bed rest home and hospital in Mangere following a Ministry of Health investigation.

The ministry has also confirmed it is reviewing the certification for Culverden Group Ltd, trading as Pasifika Centre and Hospital, but Dr Colin Feek, deputy director-general of health, would not comment further.

Police have also confirmed they are investigating some staff - but, again, would not comment further.

The ministry's latest move has come following an unannounced audit carried out late last month.

A Counties Manukau District Health Board spokesperson told the Herald that organisation was "planning for all contingencies."

The Herald understands this includes looking at finding placements for patients and residents in case the group's licence is revoked.

But solicitor Mark Wells, who represents the hospital's owners, Ian and Norma Anderson, said the temporary manager was working alongside Norma Anderson and the nurses to make sure services were everything the ministry thought they should be. The ministry was entitled to review the certification, he said, but "we don't believe there's any way they should take that certification away and in fact detailed representations have been made to them in that regard".

Several issues had concerned the ministry, but only two main ones and one of those had already been resolved with the closing of a cottage.

The second issue, which Mr Wells described as "staff disconnect", came down to the issue of the systems that the caregivers and nurses work under.

Labour MP Taito Phillip Field's father has been a resident for about a year and Mr Field said he was happy with the care.

"A lot of Pacific people are there, he's happy there."

The ministry has carried out other inspections at the centre, one in June last year and one in December 2004.

The Herald obtained a copy of the December 2004 inspection report which said of 42 standards in the health and disability sector standards, 31 had significant deficits and that 101 criteria were found to be less than satisfactory.

Among them was inadequate pain management, a sometimes "overpowering" smell of urine, and a poor standard of cleaning and laundry.

Mr Wells said the hospital had gone on to receive certification after the earlier reports and the issues had been resolved.

The Pasifika Centre and Hospital, formerly the Culverden Care Centre and Hospital, is owned by the same people who own the Culverden Retirement Village. The retirement village featured in the Herald in July, 2004, when residents objected about huge price hikes in their fees.