The carer of a disabled Adelaide woman who died in horrific conditions was previously banned from working with another provider, a parliamentary inquiry has heard.
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Ann Marie Smith's carer Rosa Maione was banned by Domiciliary Care in January 2013 after allegedly stealing a client's money.
South Australia's acting Department of Human Services chief Lois Boswell told Monday's hearing she became aware of the ban last week.
"There was no specific investigation and (it) was not reported to the police because the family asked for it not to be, so it was an internal ban within the department," Ms Boswell said.
The inquiry also heard Ms Maione was approved for a state government disability screening check 18 days after Ms Smith's death on April 6.
The service provider, Integrity Care SA, submitted and paid for the application on April 15.
"As soon as we were aware, we cancelled her screening," Ms Boswell said.
"What is quite concerning is that there was the application after Ann Marie's death because Integrity Care had obligations to report and advise us."
Ms Boswell said it was a "horrendous and unthinkable" idea that Integrity Care SA allowed only one person to be rostered for Ms Smith's care and was a significant failing.
"The circumstances of this are the first we've ever heard; where one person was the only one providing care to someone who needed it seven days a week.
"Any responsible provider would know that doesn't appear to be possible.
"There has clearly been safeguarding failures for Ann Marie, and these may have occurred over a number of years."
Former Principal Community Visitor Maurice Corcoran said amid the state government scheme's transition to the NDIS, there were concerns of people slipping through gaps and he was worried there were more cases like Ms Smith's.
"I would have thought any worker had to be satisfied with screening and any sort of history such as (Ms Maione's) would have eliminated them from working with vulnerable people," he said.
"If we have these so-called safeguards and screenings and people are still allowed to work after a history of abuse in the sector, then our systems are failing."
Ms Smith, 54, had cerebral palsy and died from serious illnesses that developed while receiving full-time care in her Kensington Gardens home.
She was admitted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital the previous day with severe ulcerated and infected tissue and other serious illnesses after Ms Maione called an ambulance.
A manslaughter investigation was launched after police were shocked by the "disgusting and degrading" conditions Ms Smith was living in.
Ms Maione was sacked from Integrity Care SA in May.
Australian Associated Press
