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In Brief
- A man is under police guard after a body was discovered inside a mental hospital.
- The probe follows calls from healthcare workers for greater funding and resources.
The death of a patient at a mental health facility has led to a homicide investigation, with authorities closely monitoring another patient while they await the opportunity to question him.
Early Monday morning, around 2 a.m., the body of a 31-year-old man was discovered in a room at the Swanston Centre in Geelong. The man’s identity has yet to be officially confirmed.
The Swanston Centre, an intensive mental health care facility managed by Barwon Health, a state-run organization, has previously been under the spotlight for issues related to patient care. There have also been union demands for improvements in staff pay and the handling of occupational violence.
On Monday evening, law enforcement informed the Australian Associated Press (AAP) that while the scene had been cleared, the investigation remained active and ongoing.
A police spokesperson mentioned that a male patient, who had a connection to the deceased 31-year-old, is currently under guard. This individual has not yet been interviewed.
Barwon Health said the dead man was housed in the centre’s acute mental health ward.
“We extend our condolences to the family of the deceased patient. Support has been extended to staff,” chief medical officer Ajai Verma said in a statement.
Victoria’s Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the incident was very distressing, but declined to comment further citing the police investigation.
Lack of staff, long hours and fatigue at facility
The Health and Community Services Union said the death reflected ongoing concerns about staffing levels, workplace safety and the ability of staff to care safely for patients.
“Many legacy beds remain on that site. These beds are not at a standard we’re seeing at new mental health builds and refurbishments of other mental health facilities,” assistant branch secretary Rebecca Sprekos told AAP.
Sprekos said staff had repeatedly raised concerns about insufficient staffing, long hours, fatigue and the lack of resources to safely manage high-risk situations.
“It is essential that these warnings are finally heeded by the Victorian state government,” she said.
Sprekos called for the government to legislate ratios and staffing profiles for “all disciplines in the public mental health system”.
The office of Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the demand.
WorkSafe inspectors would investigate to see if further action was required, a spokesman said.
Barwon Health was in 2025 charged under workplace laws after a patient died by suicide while undergoing treatment at the centre in 2022.
The case remains before the court.
In 2024, a coronial inquest was launched after a patient was discovered unresponsive by staff at the centre and later died.
Several years earlier, Barwon Heath pledged to make changes at the facility following the death of Natasha Ablett, the older sister of AFL great Gary Ablett Jr.
Ms Ablett absconded in 2017 and died of a drug overdose.
There is a focus on security at Australian mental health facilities after recent escapes by patients in Sydney who allegedly committed serious crimes.
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