Sep 25, 2020

COVID-19 hotspots could still appear at any time, doctors and nurses warn

 

Australian doctors and nurses have united to demand the Federal Government to take urgent action now to prevent further COVID-19 outbreaks in aged care, warning that hotspots could appear at any time in any state or territory.

AMA President, Dr Omar Khorshid, and Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) Federal Secretary, Annie Butler, have written to the Prime Minister to express their concerns about the ongoing impact of the pandemic on aged care residents and staff.

More than 630 of Australia’s 850-plus COVID-19 deaths have been in aged care.

Ms Butler said the Aged Care Royal Commission had already exposed the true severity of the systemic problems in the aged care system.

“It has suffered from chronic and widespread understaffing over many years,” Ms Butler said. 

The problems are “reflected in all aspects of nursing home operations and the standard of care being provided,” she said.

“There are too few nurses working in aged care, and nursing homes are overly reliant on lesser- trained workers, placing unreasonable expectations on them to ensure safe care.

“Our members have trouble accessing adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), and not enough attention is being paid to basic infection control systems and processes.

“The Government must act now to resolve these problems, stop unnecessary suffering and save lives.”

In the letter, Dr Khorshid and Ms Butler say that recent increased funding will go some way towards enabling people to stay in their homes for longer and increase infection control for those in nursing homes.

“We remain concerned that the sector is still vulnerable, and that our members working in aged care face unacceptable risks of contracting the virus,” they wrote.

Dr Khorshid and Ms Butler are calling for:

  • The immediate establishment of Aged Care Health Emergency Response Operations Centres (ACERC) to help prevent outbreaks,
  • Mandated minimum staff-to-resident ratios and a mandated skill mix, with registered nurse presence ensured 24/7,
  • Adequate access to PPE, training in infection control, and reviewing infection control procedures,
  • National paid pandemic leave arrangements,
  • Increased funding for home care packages, and
  • More transparency and accountability in how aged care providers spend Government funding.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

‘Visitor Pods’ have turned nursing home car parks into contactless visiting rooms

Visitor pods are constructed in NSW aged care home car parks and allow residents to have contact free visits with their loved ones in a private setting with a homely feel. Read More

Simple tips for helping someone living with Dementia during the pandemic

We've detailed some of the things aged care workers, family and friends can do to help alleviate potential struggles for those living with Dementia during COVID-19. From printing off hygiene reminders to visiting virtual museums there are many creative ways to make life a little easier and more enjoyable. Read More

Vaccinating the highest-risk groups first was the plan – but people with disability are being left behind

With Australia’s COVID vaccination campaign set to open up to over 50s on May 3, many at-risk Australians eligible under phase 1A are still waiting. Last week we learned only 6.5% of residents in disability care homes had received the vaccine. Read More
Advertisement