Fresh twist in case of disabled woman who was allowed to rot to death in her own excrement as care agency that was meant to look after her is banned
- Ann Marie Smith, 54, died after she was left to rot in her own waste for months
- NDIS provider Integrity Care took two weeks to report her death to commission
- The company has been banned from operating and had its registration revoked
- Rosemary Maione, a carer for the disabled woman, is charged with manslaughter
The company responsible for the care of Adelaide woman Ann-Marie Smith when she died has been banned from operating and had its registration revoked by the NDIS Commission.
The commission has been investigating NDIS provider Integrity Care since the 54-year-old died in hospital in April from septic shock, multiple organ failure, severe pressure sores and malnourishment.
Integrity Care took two weeks to report her death to the NDIS Commission.
The company responsible for the care of Adelaide woman Ann-Marie Smith when she died has been banned from operating and had its registration revoked by the NDIS Commission
A carer for the disabled woman, Rosemary Maione, 69, was last week charged with manslaughter over Ms Smith’s death. Maione was sacked from Integrity Care in May
The provider was slapped with a $12,600 fine over its failure to notify the commission within 24 hours.
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner Graeme Head said Integrity Care was advised early in June of the commission’s intention to revoke its registration and to ban it from operating over several contraventions of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (NDIS Act).
‘There are very clear requirements under the NDIS Act as to how the NDIS Commission takes compliance actions … This includes giving ample opportunity for the party subject to these actions to respond,’ he said in a statement on Wednesday.
The revocation of Integrity Care’s registration will take effect from August 14, while the ban will come into place from August 21.
The room where Ms Smith lived out her final days before she was taken to hospital
Integrity Care will no longer be able to provide NDIS-funded supports and services to NDIS participants as a registered provider, and will be banned from providing all supports and services to any person in the NDIS.
The commission’s investigation into Integrity Care is ongoing and further regulatory action may be taken if necessary.
A carer for the disabled woman, Rosemary Maione, 69, was last week charged with manslaughter over Ms Smith’s death. Maione was sacked from Integrity Care in May.
Police allege Ms Smith died of serious criminal neglect and her death was preventable.