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Banned care provider 'gone' in SA: premier

Tim DorninAAP
The NDIS registration of the company responsible for the care of Ann-Marie Smith has been revoked.
Camera IconThe NDIS registration of the company responsible for the care of Ann-Marie Smith has been revoked.

A care provider in South Australia "is gone" after being shut down by authorities over the death of cerebral palsy sufferer Ann Marie Smith, Premier Steven Marshall says.

Mr Marshall says Integrity Care does not provide services to people under the care of state health bodies, with its only clients those managed by the NDIS.

"We don't have Integrity Care providing services to any state government agencies," he said.

"Integrity Care is gone."

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On Thursday, the NDIS Commission revoked the registration of and banned it from operating.

The commission said it had been investigating the company since Ms Smith died in hospital in April from septic shock, multiple organ failure, severe pressure sores and malnourishment.

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 ban it from operating over several contraventions of the NDIS Act.

But Labor human services spokeswoman Nat Cook said the opposition had been calling for the state government to act against Integrity Care since it was revealed the business submitted 33 applications for screening checks after Ms Smith's death.

She said the Department of Human Services was, by law, the only service that could provide disability services employment checks in South Australia and could have acted to block approvals.

"It is completely unacceptable that it has taken more than four months to shut Integrity Care down," Ms Cook said.

"Vulnerable South Australians have been exposed ... and that should not have happened."

Integrity Care took two weeks to report Ms Smith's to the NDIS Commission and was slapped with a $12,600 fine over that failure.

The revocation of Integrity Care's registration will take effect from August 14, while the ban will come into place from August 21.

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, Rosa Maria Maione, 69, was last week charged with manslaughter over the 54-year-old's death and was granted home detention bail on Thursday at her second court appearance.

Police allege Ms Smith died of serious criminal neglect and her death was preventable.

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