The rising number of sanctioned nursing homes in Australia was one of the key reasons the Prime Minister called for a Royal Commission into aged care last year. Bupa Eden and Minda Nursing Homes are two of the latest facilities to have been hit with the penalties.
The Department of Health has declared Bupa Eden, on the New South Wales south coast, “an immediate and severe risk to the health, safety and wellbeing of care recipients” after an audit revealed “critical deficiencies” and “serious and detrimental failings”.
The findings resulted in the Department placing sanctions on Bupa Eden, bringing the number of Bupa aged care facilities under sanction to nine.
The Bupa Edan quality audit revealed lapses in several areas, including in human resources management, clinical care, medication management, and behaviour management.
The report, which is available on the Aged Care Quality Commission’s website, reveals failures in the facility’s human resources management.
The report notes several positions at the aged care facility are vacant, and the facility has “ongoing challenges” replacing absent staff.
Some residents at Bupa Eden gave “negative feedback” about staff shortages.
The facility’s clinical information and documentation system was said to be “fragmented, inconsistent, and not sufficiently monitored”.
The audit report also reveals lapses in Bupa Eden’s clinical care, and inadequately trained staff.
“Care recipients do not receive appropriate clinical care,” the report states.
“The clinical care managers and registered nurses do not have adequate skills and experience to ensure the specialised nursing care needs are met effectively,” the report says.
Bupa was apologetic when contacted by HelloCare. A Bupa spokesperson said the company has apologised to Bupa Eden residents after sanctions were imposed by the Department of Health.
“Bupa unreservedly apologises to our Bupa Eden residents and their families and is committed to resolving issues identified at our Eden home.
“These issues are unacceptable,” the spokesperson said.
“We are working with the Department of Health to address the issues detailed in their report, and we are keeping residents and their families informed as we progress.”
According to the My Aged Care Site, the following Bupa nursing homes are now sanctioned:
And the following nursing home currently have notices of non-compliance:
Minda Nursing Home, in Adelaide, has also been sanctioned by the Department of Health, after an audit identified concerns with pain management, nutrition and hydration, and behavioural management.
A statement from Minda says the issues are being addressed “as a priority”.
“It is Minda’s commitment to ensure compliant care standards and provide the very best standard of care to residents,” the statement says.
The facility says it is committed to “ensuring an environment that is safe and provides ‘best practice’ long-term care to people with complex medical needs”.
The facility has appointed an advisor and an administrator, and has taken on a new clinical and administrative “resource” to improve culture and service.
A spokesperson from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission told HelloCare the Commission will always follow up with non-compliant facilities.
“Any instance of non-compliance with the aged care quality standards is one too many,” they said.
“It doesn’t matter how big or small the nursing home is, or whether they are part of a group or independent, we will follow up on non-compliance.”
The spokesperson said that the Commission sometimes approaches an organisation’s CEO if a number of nursing homes are sanctioned in the one group.
“Where there is a finding of non-compliance in more than one nursing home operated by the same provider, we may take this up with the CEO depending on the issues identified,” they said.
If you care concerned about matters associated with a Bupa nursing home, the organisation encourages residents or family members to contact the company on 1800 804 888, email bupaagedcarefeedback@bupa.com.au or to contact Bupa Australia’s Speak Up Hotline 1800 479 241.
For other matters, if residents or families are concerned about the care of their relatives, contact the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on 1800 951 822.
Please note: the image used to illustrate this article does not depict actual people or events. Image: iStock.
