The aged care watchdog is scaling back its compliance operations even as deadly outbreaks of COVID-19 sweep the sector and the Defence Force is called in | Dana_Adele
The aged care watchdog is scaling back its compliance operations even as deadly outbreaks of COVID-19 sweep the sector and the Defence Force is called in, prompting concern from advocates for elderly Australians.
The commission last month granted the home’s reaccreditation without conducting a site visit under its “exceptional circumstances” provisions. Kathy Eagar, director of the Australian Health Services Research Institute at the University of Wollongong, said the aged care sector was “in total crisis” and that “now is not the time for the regulator to be moving to ‘COVID normal’.”Australia’s COVID-19 death toll in aged care equated to a 9.62 per cent case fatality rate, she said, compared with 0.
Labor’s aged care spokeswoman Clare O’Neil said the regulator’s failings were “just another example in a long list where aged care is being mismanaged under the Morrison government.”
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Hundreds of 'burnt out' aged care and disability care workers are quitting, union warnsHundreds of overworked and underpaid workers have quit their jobs in the aged care and disability care sectors in the past few months leading to short- and long-term problems, experts say.
Read more »
ADF to be sent into aged care facilities to ease staffing pressuresAs the aged care sector battles a deadly Omicron wave and severe staff shortages, the government says it will send up to 1,7000 Defence Force personnel to help.
Read more »
'Australia will reopen our borders', PM says as military to support aged care – videoAll fully vaccinated visa holders can enter Australia from 21 February
Read more »
Defence to start helping hardest-hit aged care homes from WednesdayThe first four ADF teams, which will include a registered nurse, medical technicians and personnel to help with general duties and administration, will be deployed in facilities struggling with coronavirus in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
Read more »
ADF support reveals ’emergency’ in aged care sector
Read more »
‘Significant intervention’: ADF called in to support aged care sector
Read more »