A Melbourne based Greek man, Billy Aivaliotis was admitted to Caulfield Hospital in May after a car accident during which he suffered serious brain injuries.
The 33-year-old’s family became alarmed after finding bruises on his body that could not be explained.
Mr Aivaliotis was not an aggressive patient nor did he have the physical ability to harm himself. In order to find out the cause of the bruising, the family decided to set up a camera in his hospital room.
“After this devastating realisation of mistreatment and abuse, we have absolutely no faith in this broken and failed system of care,” the family said after watching the disturbing footage recorded by the camera on 22 January.
“We had to take matters into our own hands to prove that Billy was abused and neglected, after zero action from the hospital.”
Alfred Health, which manages the hospital confirmed that the family of the patient approached them last week with the footage prior to releasing it via Herald Sun.
“The video material presented to us by the family is distressing and shocking — and not in keeping with the culture of advanced care patients and families should experience in our hospitals,” Alfred Health said in the statement, announcing that the staff member involved has been since stood down.
“We are continuing to meet with the patient’s family and thank them for bringing these issues to our attention. Alfred Health is cooperating fully with the police investigation.”
The hospital spokesperson also added that Alfred Health is conducting an internal investigation in order to establish weather there was knowledge regarding the 30-year-old Cranbourne West man’s behaviour, or if similar incidents had taken place with other patients. Law firm Arnold Thomas and Becker, representing the Aivaliotis family, has reportedly launched civil proceedings against the hospital.