More Govt support for failed Vic nursing home

The Minister for Ageing Justine Elliot has officially outlined the Federal Government’s financial support plan for the 156 staff at the Bridgewater Aged Care facility in Melbourne.

The Department of Health and Ageing will cover unpaid staff wages and salary that were owed before the nursing home went into administration on 23 May 2008. (The final and exact figures are being determined in conjunction withthe administrator).

The payments are in addition to the nearly $314,000 in monthly resident subsidies that the Department has been paying to the home to care for the 98 residents.

The Government has also instructed the Department to bring forward this month’s resident subsidy payment so that staff can be paid on time by the administrator – and continue to operate the aged care facility.

The Government is seeking assurances from the administrator to ensure the funds are directed to the staff’s unpaid salaries.

Many of the Bridgewater staff have been working without pay to provide quality care to residents during this period.

Should Bridgewater become insolvent, additional help may be available under the Australian Government’s General Employee Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme (GEERS).

While the Department of Health and Ageing can provide additional funding support for staff wages, it is unable to pay for the employer superannuation contributions which the provider failed to make.

The Department of Health and Ageing has written to relevant unions representing staff to outline the funding support that will be provided for staff at the home.

The Federal Government has already appointed and is funding a clinical nurse adviser team to help the administrator of Bridgewater Aged Care to ensure the quality of care for its 98 residents.

The Department has also developed a relocation plan, should that become necessary, so that residents could be moved in a safe and orderly way.

Since the weekend, the Department has located 163 available aged care beds within a 20 kilometre radius.

The Department has set up a dedicated telephone number – 1800 078 709 – for family members and residents to provide information and assistance.

Departmental case managers have been assigned to families and are in the process of making contact with them to provide information and assistance.