Jul 17, 2020

Essendon facility with largest COVID-19 outbreak not audited in three years

The Morrison Government must urgently assure all Australians that residential aged care facilities are safe and prepared for COVID-19.

It is deeply concerning a facility in Essendon with the largest outbreak of COVID-19 in aged care has not been audited by the Morrison Government’s aged care regulator in more than three years.

This was despite the provider being hauled before the Aged Care Royal Commission in October last year after another of its Melbourne facilities was sanctioned by the regulator.

The evidence presented at the Royal Commission was damning. Why didn’t the Morrison Government’s aged care regulator look at this provider’s other facilities?

This concerning lapse must force the Morrison Government to act: older Australians in aged care and their loved ones deserve this.

The Morrison Government’s regulator must immediately assure residents at the facility in Essendon and their loved ones that this facility is safe.

The Liberal Government promised that audits and reviews of aged care facilities would be ‘relentless’ but this facility appears to have fallen through the cracks.

We have seen the devastating impact of COVID-19 outbreaks in aged care in Australia and across the globe.

There must also be clear communication with the residents and their families at any facility with an outbreak of COVID-19.

Australia’s aged care system was broken before the COVID-19 pandemic and this is only putting extra stress on the system.

All Australians must be assured we have the very best infection control practises in aged care.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Two-hourly repositioning disrupts sleep, doesn’t prevent pressure ulcers

There has been a challenge to the conventional belief, held for decades, that those assessed as being at risk of developing pressure sores must be repositioned every two hours. A paper released last week said two-hourly repositioning is a form of “abuse”, because it interrupts the person’s sleep, causing them to be constantly tired, and... Read More

Estia spends $1.2m responding to Royal Commission

  One of Australia’s largest aged care providers has downgraded its profit outlook for the year, and revealed it has spent more than $1 million preparing for the Royal Commission. Estia Health, which has 68 nursing homes and delivers care to more than 8,000 people across Australia, said net profit after tax for the six... Read More

Australia’s IV Fluids Shortage Will Likely Last All Year

Supplies of IV fluids are not expected to return to normal levels in Australia until the end of the year. So what does this mean for surgeries? Read More
Advertisement