The Office of Special Counsel has reported to the White House and Congress the whistleblower disclosures of five employees and physicians at the Montgomery VA Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi.
OSC sent a letter to the President and Congress stating that the allegations met its standard for likelihood for referring cases to the VA secretary, who is required to investigate and report back to OSC.
According to OSC, the department completed its investigation for three of the cases. It said that in 2009 VA confirmed that dirty, rust-stained instruments and other un-sterilized medical equipment had been sent to VAMC clinics and operating rooms in violation of VA policy.
VA outlined a series of steps to correct longstanding problems within the VAMC Sterile Processing Department. However, in 2011 the issue resurfaced in another whistleblower allegation. VA did not substantiate that allegation, but OSC objected, saying the findings were unreasonable and it noted that the department did not interview the whistleblower.
A third disclosure alleged that Jackson VAMC public affairs employees were told to issue false statements about the 2009 case. The VA concluded only that inaccurate statements had been made to the public and Congress unintentionally, arguing that VA management was unaware of the 2009 findings.
