The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has not inspected the infection control practices of three out of every four aged care homes across Australia, according to recent data.
In August, infection control spot checks were expanded to be nation-wide, after initially focussing only on Victoria and New South Wales. The spot checks provide an opportunity for the Commission to observe the infection control practices of aged care homes.
Even in Victoria, where 614 residents of aged care facilities have died due to COVID-19 and nearly 2,000 have contracted the virus, only 216 spot checks have been conducted, according to data supplied by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission as of 24 September, the equivalent of approximately 27 per cent.
In New South Wales, 197 homes had been assessed, approximately 22 per cent of all homes in the state.
Nation wide, the commission had completed 720 spot checks.
The low rates of spot checks have raised concerns about a shortage of staff within the commission to conduct such inspections.
Janet Anderson PSM, Commissioner of the Commission, told HelloCare, “The Commission is working closely with the Commonwealth Department of Health and the Government to ensure that it has the resources needed to continue its critical role in oversighting the quality and safety of aged care services, and support its ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Weak points: Incorrect use and disposal of PPE, hand washing
The purpose of the inspections is to “observe infection control practices, and ensure that staff, management and visitors are adhering to safe personal protective equipment (PPE) protocols, and safe infection control arrangements.”
During the spot checks, assessors test each home’s procedures against the Communicable Diseases Network Australia’s guidelines for COVID-19 Outbreaks in Aged Care Facilities.
After each visit, assessors will provide a written summary about areas the home can improve on.
So far, the Commission has identified instances of incorrect use and disposal of PPE, inadequate infection control signage, and poor hand hygiene practices.
According to a report in The Australian, Kathy Eagar, director of the Australian Health Services Research Institute at the University of Wollongong, said she would expect “infection-control inspections to focus on high-risk homes”.
She said the fact that deaths from infections such as gastro and the flu among aged care residents had fallen this year showed poor infection control had been a problem in the sector for some time.
Image: ljubaphoto, iStock.
