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Your email address will not be published.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

PPE shortages aged care’s number one concern

Aged care providers across the country are struggling to get enough personal protection equipment and are paying inflated prices for the PPE they can access. Age and Community Services Australia CEO, Pat Sparrow, told HelloCare access to PPE is the aged care industry’s biggest worry at the moment.  “It’s the number one concern providers have,... Read More

“Each of these ‘little boxes’ in the locked down Melbourne Towers holds a story”, nurse opens up

Each of these ‘little boxes’ in the locked down Melbourne towers holds a story. Someone who matters. We are listening and we care. The past two days I have had the privilege of being one of a team of nurses from Knox Private Hospital providing COVID swabbing for the residents of the towers. This pandemic brings... Read More

Behind closed doors during lockdown

There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has significantly impacted the aged care sector, and has sadly contributed to high number of deaths. But what is it like for staff who are working within an aged care residence, and how does the increased risk and responsibility impact them? We spoke with Clinical Manager Residential Services Naomi Lewis,... Read More
Advertisement