Aged care acquisition aims to improve quality
An agreement between up-and-coming aged care provider Carino Care and Ark Health Care has been made to transition ownership of four facilities from today.
Carino Care has acquired four Ark Health Care facilities in New South Wales (Source: Shutterstock)
The four facilities – Russell Lea, Oatley, Sylvania and Rockdale – all based in New South Wales, will be managed by Carino Care under the trading name Tierra Care.
Executive Chair Tierra Healthcare Group, Rob Hankins says the Carino Care leadership team has “significant experience” in operating high quality, people focused aged care services, and says the residents, their families, and the staff will have access to all the benefits found in a boutique operator.
“We believe it is a privilege to care for older vulnerable people,” he says.
“Consumers, and the new Quality Standards, have heightened expectation that service providers will partner with residents and their families, to ensure that the highest quality of care and service is provided to them.
“We believe this is the right approach and reflect this expectation in our values.
“As the new service provider, we accept the responsibility of ensuring that the recent breaches of the Quality Standards and resident safety at Ark Health Care never happen again.
“Our first step will be to regain full accreditation across three of the four facilities.
“We will also reassure our residents, their families and our staff that their wellbeing is the centre of our attention.
“The safety and quality of life for our residents in the number one priority for us.”
In the weeks to come, Carino Care say leadership will focus on ensuring:
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Continuity of staffing so that residents and families know the people caring for them
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Great food and an enjoyable dining experience
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Residents are assisted with maintaining family and community connections
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A choice of wellbeing programs that residents would enjoy
Of the four facilities acquired by Carino Care, two (the Russell Lea and Rockdale locations) have been noted by the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency to “have failed to meet one or more expected outcomes in the Accreditation Standards” [under Ark Health Care’s management], “which has placed, or may place, the safety, health or wellbeing of a care recipient of the service at risk”.
Both the Oatley and Sylvania locations are still accredited following audits in October 2016 and July 2015 which saw each facility meet 44 of the 44 expected outcomes of the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency.
