Integrity Care SA sacks Ann-Marie Smith's carer over 'serious misconduct' - ABC News

An Adelaide care provider has sacked the carer of Ann-Marie Smith, who police say suffered a "disgusting and degrading" death.

Key points:

• Ann-Marie Smith died from severe pressure sores and malnutrition, among other complications
• SA Police said she was left sitting in a cane chair 24-hours-a-day for more than a year
• Integrity Care SA said it was "misled" by Ms Smith's carer, who has been sacked

Integrity Care SA says it has terminated the carer's employment due to "serious and wilful misconduct".

"We trusted our carer and believe that we have been completely misled by her," the organisation said in a statement.

Ms Smith, 54, died on April 6 from severe septic shock, multi-organ failure, severe pressure sores, malnutrition and issues connected with her cerebral palsy after being stuck in a cane chair for 24 hours a day for more than a year.

Ms Smith lived alone at her Kensington Park home in Adelaide's eastern suburbs and relied on a carer for all of her needs.

SA Police declared her death a major crime and opened a manslaughter investigation.

On Friday, Detective Superintendent Des Bray said Ms Smith had been allowed to die in "disgusting and degrading circumstances".

"Unable to care for herself, she was living her days and sleeping at night in the same woven cane chair in a lounge room for over a year with extremely poor personal hygiene," he said.

"That chair had also become her toilet and there was no fridge in the house and investigators were unable to locate any nutritional food in the house."

Ann-Marie Smith's home in Bradman Court, Kensington Park.(Supplied: SA Police)

Superintendent Bray said the carer attended Ms Smith's home on April 5 and called an ambulance after discovering her in a "semi-conscious state".

She was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where she had major surgery to remove rotting flesh from severe pressure sores on her body.

Integrity Care SA said it was notified of the cause of Ms Smith's death on Friday.

"Since then we have terminated the employment of Ms Smith's carer due to her serious and wilful misconduct."

Welfare checks carried out on other clients

"Patient care is at the heart of everything we do and Integrity Care SA is determined to find out what went so terribly wrong," Integrity Care SA's statement read.

"In this regard, prior to the SAPOL announcement on Friday, we already had been conducting our own intense investigation and are continuing to work closely with the NDIS."

The organisation said it had now "performed welfare checks" on other clients Ms Smith's carer had involvement with, and said "all those individuals are in good health".

It had also appointed "an independent expert" to review every NDIS participant in its care, including those looked after by Ms Smith's carer.

The carer was suspended as part of that investigation, before being sacked following SAPOL's announcement on Friday.

"Integrity Care SA extends its heartfelt sympathy to Ms Smith's family and encourages anyone with relevant information or concerns to contact Crime Stoppers or the NDIS," the statement read.

"We have been advised not to make any further comment at this stage."

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2020-05-17 07:44:20Z
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