Shocked doctors raised the alarm about a Canberra nursing home after an elderly resident battling dementia arrived for emergency treatment with maggot-infested wounds.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
When the man's distressed family confronted the nursing home, the then-manager reasoned that maggots "were good for wounds" because they "cleaned them out".
Peter Tunnecliffe, 77, was a resident at the Southern Cross Care facility in Garran when he was sent to Canberra Hospital last December for the treatment of cancer lesions on his face and scalp.
Senior hospital staff were so disturbed by the discovery of maggots in the lesions, they took it upon themselves to lay a complaint with the federal government's aged care watchdog.
The hospital's clinical director of emergency care, Dr Gregory Hollis, and another senior nurse called for the government to investigate the facility in a joint letter to the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner.
"[Mr Tunnecliffe] presented for the evaluation of facial wounds which were infested with maggots," read the letter, seen by The Canberra Times.
"Upon investigation by the emergency department clinical staff, it was identified that Mr Tunnecliffe's facial and scalp wound was infested with approximately 50 full grown maggots.
"The presentation of Mr Tunnecliffe and response provided to the family and GP has raised serious concerns from both myself and the clinical director of the emergency department."
Mr Tunnecliffe's daughter Stephanie said she was still haunted by the thought of her father suffering in his final days.
"It's not like he was in there by himself. We used to visit him all the time," she said.
"I go to bed thinking about what happened to him. I wake up thinking about it.
"He didn't want to spend his last days like that."
Although the family were reluctant to speak publicly, she said they had decided to come forward in the hope that vulnerable nursing home residents would be spared similar ordeals.
Members of Mr Tunnecliffe's family met with Southern Cross Care in January to discuss their worries about his treatment.
They were shocked when the centre's then-manager suggested: "Maggots are good for wounds you know. They clean them out."
The board of Southern Cross Care had since written to the family to apologise for what they conceded were "insensitive and inappropriate" comments.
The Aged Care Quality Agency commenced a surprise audit into the Southern Cross Care facility after they received the letter from Canberra Hospital in January.
"This audit reviewed Mr Tunnecliffe's skin and wound care in greater depth and identified deficiencies in how this care was monitored and delivered," read the investigation report, seen by The Canberra Times.
"It found the service did not meet expected outcomes relating to information systems, clinical care, skin care and behavioural management."
Southern Cross Care operates 31 aged-care facilities across the ACT and New South Wales.
Paul McMahon, the chief executive of the company's NSW and ACT branch, conceded there were "major failings" in the way Mr Tunnecliffe was cared for.
"What happened to this gentleman is distressing and should never have happened in our aged care home or any home," Mr McMahon said.
"Our thoughts go out to his family. We have been working closely with the Aged Care Quality Agency and the Department of Health and are now fully complaint against all 44 aged care standards.
"We're communicating with residents, staff and family and working closely with everyone at [the facility] to ensure our residents receive the highest level of care."
Peter Tunnecliffe died on February 19 and was remembered as a loyal friend and loving family member with a "wonderful sense of humour".
