SWH chief executive Craig Fraser told The Standard Mr Brennan's "involvement (at Lyndoch Living) will be initially for four weeks with consideration of longer-term solutions if needed".

"SWH has worked with the board of Lyndoch Living to support (Mr Brennan's) appointment, to assist (the) organisation in ensuring ongoing care to residents and supporting staff in the immediate term," Mr Fraser said.

A number of SWH staff have joined Mr Brennan to cover an acute staffing shortage at Lyndoch. Mr Fraser said these staff were also seconded for "the immediate short-term", but the hospital was flexible with the number of staff it could make available as long as they could "balance their desire to assist Lyndoch with their existing commitments at SWH".

The Standard understands one issue affecting Mr Brennan's secondment is the status of Lyndoch Living chief executive Doreen Power. According to the Lyndoch board, Ms Power is on annual leave, but the board has declined to say whether Ms Power took leave voluntarily, or whether she would be returning to the organisation.

It comes after South West Coast MP Roma Britnell used parliamentary privilege to level bullying and intimidation accusations against Ms Power.

Ms Britnell called for Ms Power to either stand down or be removed.

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission met with acting Lyndoch chief executive Julie Bertram and another senior staff member before Mr Brennan's appointment to "discuss issues facing all three Lyndoch residential services".

A spokesman said the commission would "continue to closely monitor Lyndoch Living Limited's services" to ensure residents were getting proper care.

In July the commission conducted a surprise visit of the May Noonan Centre "to assess the service's progress towards addressing previously identified non-compliance", with a report underway.

Lyndoch is yet to replace its chief operating officer and director of nursing, who both resigned in July.

The Standard asked Lyndoch Living a series of questions including why Mr Brennan had been seconded for just four weeks, what Lyndoch hoped to achieve in such a short period, and whether it had started searching for replacements for its vacant executive positions, but it did not respond before deadline.