An eastern Victorian aged care home is facing multiple investigations following the death of a resident on the footpath outside his room at the facility last year.
Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains images and the name of a person who has died.
Dennis Miller, 70, was found in a pool of blood and vomit, and with facial injuries, on the concrete footpath outside the Royal Freemasons aged care facility at Moe in Gippsland on May 15.
The ABC last year revealed Royal Freemasons Moe staff took photos of the deceased Mr Miller, who was a resident at the home, and his death sparked calls for a national register of all aged care deaths in Australia.
On January 2, Victoria Police started conducting interviews as part of the coroner's review of the circumstances of the death.
A spokesperson for the coroner also revealed Mr Miller's death was referred to them on the day he died but, "based on the available evidence at the time, the case was determined not reportable".
Last year, the ABC reported there was also confusion over whether Mr Miller's death was properly reported to the coroner.
On his medical cause of death certificate, Mr Miller's doctor listed "cardiac arrest" as his cause of death.
When asked if it was a "reportable death" under relevant state laws, the certificate said "No".
In July, when Samantha Mowatt learnt her father's death would not be fully investigated, she wrote to the Office of the Victorian Coroner and put in a complaint to the federal regulator, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
"Following a request to investigate the death of Mr Miller, received on July 3, 2022, the coroner initiated a review of the circumstances to determine if the death is reportable and if a coronial investigation should be initiated," a spokesperson for the coroner said.
"The coroner is currently awaiting additional information to inform their review."
A Royal Freemasons spokesperson said staff on duty at the time of the man's death followed appropriate protocol "to inform police who attended, and police made the decision to refer the death to the coroner".
Victoria Police told the ABC it "completed a report for the coroner in relation to this death" last year and it was "up to the coroner to determine whether further investigation is required".
Surprise audit and workplace probe
Victorian industrial health and safety regulator WorkSafe also confirmed it was investigating a "May 2022 incident" at the Royal Freemasons Moe facility.
A Royal Freemasons spokeswoman said it would "cooperate fully with this investigation".
In addition, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission conducted a "comprehensive unannounced re-accreditation site audit at the Royal Freemasons Moe between January 3 and 6, 2023".
A commission spokesman said it would publicly release its assessment report and re-accreditation decision at a later date.
