NDIS Provider Fined Record $1.9M for Fatal Choking Incident

Valmar Support Services admitted to 24 breaches after improperly trained staff failed to follow dietary guidelines, leading to a resident's death in 2020.

• The Federal Court imposed a $1.9 million fine, the largest ever for an NDIS provider, following the preventable death of a 47-year-old man with disabilities in a group home.
• The man, who had Prader-Willi syndrome and other conditions, choked on a toasted sandwich that was not prepared according to his prescribed dietary plan.
• Valmar Support Services admitted to multiple failures, including inadequately trained staff and lack of compliance with meal safety protocols, which also endangered two other residents.
• The court criticized Valmar for not upholding the core purpose of the NDIS to provide safe and high-quality support, describing the death as preventable and tragic.
• Since the incident, Valmar has implemented new measures, such as mandatory swallowing risk assessments and staff training, to address safety and compliance issues.

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