Increase in action over poor nursing home care

Nursing homes in Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) have incurred a big rise in official actions for substandard care, including poor nutrition and pain management, as a result of a Federal Government crackdown on aged care facilities in the past year.

Figures reported in the Fairfax media show Victorian nursing homes were issued with 66 notices of non-compliance in the past year, up from 24 the previous year. Of these, 13 have been placed under sanctions imposed where there is an immediate and severe risk to the health and safety of patients.

In NSW, the number of problem cases has jumped to 35 in the past year, up from just six the previous year. Three homes were placed under sanctions, which means the home is under daily official scrutiny, a big change from the previous year when no nursing homes were sanctioned.

The surge in Victoria and NSW has oustripped the rate in other states, the national total of non-compliance notices rising from 75 to 148 and sanctions increasing from 15 to 29.

The increase in non-compliance cases follows a record 7,000 visits, including 3,000 surprise spot checks by Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency officers.

The Federal Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot, told The Age that the Government imposed sanctions where there was “an immediate and severe risk to the health and safety of residents”.

Common problem areas identified by government investigators related to shortcomings in the provision of clinical care, nutrition and hydration, medication management and pain management, she said. Several notices dealing with non-compliance issues relating to mandatory police checks of staff had also been issued.

From today, consumers will be able to check the status of Australia’s 2,830 subsidised aged care homes and their compliance with government quality and safety standards by referring to the website http://www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au

“Making this information publicly available will provide an additional incentive to maintain the usually high standard of care,” Mrs Elliot said.

But aged care operators say that nursing homes can be issued with non-compliance notices, which then get recorded on the website for minor oversights such as failing to update staff rosters.

Aged Care Association Australia (ACAA), representing nursing home owners, has bitterly criticised the compliance measures, calling on Mrs Elliot to honour a pledge to review the compliance regime.

The association’s chief executive, Rod Young, said a recent interim report by the Productivity Commission had found that the regulatory burden on aged care homes was taking up the time staff could spend with residents.

The commission’s review of regulatory burden reinforced the need for the aged care compliance regime to be made more balanced to protect residents while also treating aged care staff with dignity and transparency, he said.