South Australia's corruption watchdog will investigate Adelaide's scandal-plagued Oakden nursing home, where elderly dementia patients were subjected to abuse.
Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Bruce Lander has told a parliamentary committee that the state government has agreed to a request for more funds for him to conduct an inquiry.
He says it's important to determine what information was passed from local management at Oakden to health executives and government ministers and whether their response amounted to systemic maladministration.
A recent investigation into the state-run Oakden home by SA's chief psychiatrist uncovered the rough handling of patients, an excessive use of restraints and a concerning level of injuries.
Staff were stood down and, in some cases, referred to police with the state government also pledging to close the ageing home and move patients to other facilities.
Mr Lander said much of the attention about Oakden had focused on the extent to which people in authority were aware of the poor care of patients and to what extent proper action was taken.
He said the chief psychiatrist's report did not specifically address those issues.
"My investigation will not duplicate inquiries already undertaken or presently underway," he said.
"It will focus on the extent to which all people in authority, from local management to executive leadership and ministers, were aware of the conditions and care being delivered at the facility, when they became aware of such information, and what if any action was taken in response to that information.
"Alternatively, if information did not become known to appropriate persons in authority, my investigation will enquire as to why and how this may have occurred."
Mr Lander said he would publish terms of reference for his inquiry in the coming days and hoped to have it completed as soon as possible.
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