Unions and providers welcome one-month extension of workforce support but say tens of thousands of aged care workers unavailable
The aged care sector has warned that a pledge of additional military assistance will not be enough to solve the “stark” staff shortages linked to the current Covid-19 wave, which has seen the number of active outbreaks and the weekly death toll nearly double in a single month.
Government data continues to show a deteriorating situation in residential aged care. The number of active outbreaks in the week ending 22 July was 1,013, up from 627 at the start of the month. The weekly death toll for the last two weeks on record was 114 and 132 respectively, up from 58 for the week ending 1 July.
One residential provider in Ballina had warned ACCPA its staff numbers were down 20%. A home care provider in Queensland had reported it was short 40% of its staff. The sector is otherwise far more prepared than earlier Covid waves. Sadler said rapid antigen tests, antiviral treatments, and personal protective equipment were more widely available across the country, while federal figures show fourth dose vaccination rates across aged care residents was near 77%.
“People are doing double shifts. People are working every single day without breaking [in] what is an incredibly stressful environment. These shortages are not new. These shortages speak to the years of neglect by the previous government,” she said. “All requests for assistance from aged care facilities accepted by the Department of Health and tasked to the ADF have been supported.”
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