Four staff members at Harmony Manor suspended after colleagues make police report about abuse and bullying of residents
ELIZABETH.CHEUNG@SCMP.COM
PUBLISHED : Tuesday, 12 January, 2016, 10:25am
UPDATED : Tuesday, 12 January, 2016, 12:13pm
A statement from the home said the management had suspended the four caregivers and confirmed it as an abuse case. Photo: David Wong
Staff from a care home allegedly abused mentally disabled residents, even sticking tape on one resident’s nipples and tearing it off repeatedly.
Four caregivers from Harmony Manor, a care home for physically and mentally disabled persons in Sha Tin run by the Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council, allegedly abused two autistic patients, both aged around 30.
They were said to have stopped one resident from sleeping by intimidating him and sticking tape on his body on the evening of January 5. They allegedly bullied him for around five minutes despite his screaming and confusion.
A caregiver, using the fake name John Chan, told thePost that his four colleagues had teased residents in the past, such as by taking away their dishes during meal time. But the bullying this time was worse.
“Mentally disabled persons do not have clear mind. They did not know someone were bullying them. And this time [the culprits] even stuck tape on [the victim’s] nipples,” said Chan.
Some concerned staff members at the home, including Chan, had sent a statement to the media to alert them about the situation.
While their colleagues reported the alleged abuse to the head of the home on the following day, the four staff members were allowed to continue work for five more days.
A separate statement from the home said the management had suspended the four caregivers and confirmed it as an abuse case. Counselling has been arranged for the two residents and their families.
The Social Welfare Department said it was “very concerned” about the incident. Social workers were sent to the home on Monday evening to learn more about the situation. The department has requested a report as soon as possible from the Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council.
Speaking at a public function on Tuesday, Director of Social Welfare Carol Yip Man-kuen was asked whether her department has failed to prevent caregivers from mistreating vulnerable residents.
She said: “There is regulatory mechanism in place for the department to monitor different social welfare services, and we conduct visits and raids on care homes … In the past, our work on this care home was sufficient, and there was never complaint about its service, but we do follow up strictly on any complaint.”
Social workers responsible for the concerned mentally disabled persons will follow up on their welfare needs and provide emotional support.
Speaking before the weekly Executive Council meeting on Tuesday morning, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said: “We are very concerned about any suspected case that involves anyone being abused, but we do not comment on these cases. The relevant authorities, including the police will investigate in a comprehensively and in-depth manner when it is needed.”
Police confirmed that Ma On Shan police station received a report on Monday from two men aged 34 and 42 saying they suspected staff in a welfare organisation had ill-treated residents. The case has been classified as a request for police investigation and is now being handled by the crime wing of Sha Tin police district.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1900016/caregivers-hong-kong-home-allegedly-stuck-tape-autistic
