Minister for Ageing statement on gastroenteritis outbreak and deaths in Vic nursing home
The Minister for Ageing, Christopher Pyne, has said the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency is conducting a full audit of Broughton Hall, following the gastroenteritis outbreak before Easter, and deaths of residents.
He said the Commonwealth Aged Care Act required aged care homes to comply with all relevant state legislation, including state public health legislation.
“A communicable disease outbreak in an aged care home calls for an investigation by the state public health authority. Accordingly, the Public Health Unit of the Victorian Department of Human Services and the Victorian Coroner are conducting an investigation of the infections and the deaths with a view to identifying the cause,” he said.
The agency undertook a support contact visit to the home on 15 April and the assessors identified concerns relating to possible non-compliance with Accreditation Outcome 2.12, Continence Management, including documentation of episodes of incontinence.
The Department received this report on 16 April. On the basis of its contents and concerns about the impact of the outbreak of gastroenteritis, the Department of Health and Ageing requested the agency to conduct a full review audit of the home, which is currently taking place.
