3 years ago
GOVERNMENT’S FAILURE TO PREPARE NURSING HOMES FOR COVID SECOND WAVE
Julie Collins MP
Evidence given at the Select Committee on COVID-19 has revealed the Morrison Government’s concerning failures to prepare Australia’s aged care system for a second wave of COVID-19.
At almost every step of the growing outbreaks of COVID-19 in nursing homes the Morrison Government has been behind the eight ball and the consequences are sadly tragic.
The Department of Health revealed just 100,000 aged care workers have completed the Morrison Government’s training modules in infection control and how to use PPE.
This represents less than one in three aged care workers. Why did this completely inadequate take-up not raise serious alarm bells?
The Minister said nursing homes received PPE in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak but failed again and again to confirm if the Morrison Government had supplied enough PPE to prevent outbreaks.
We already know that despite more than 1,000 aged care providers requesting access to the national stockpile of PPE, the Morrison Government did no audit of nursing homes’ stock in the weeks before COVID outbreaks in Victoria.
The Minister said tragic communication failures at St Basil’s caused ‘angst’, but this could have been prevented if the Morrison Government learnt anything from the terrible events at Newmarch House.
Why were more resources not provided to avoid this situation repeating?
We have seen the devastating impact of COVID-19 outbreaks in aged care in Australia and across the globe.
Why was the Morrison Government not better prepared for outbreaks that would impact our nation’s most vulnerable?
Australia’s aged care system was broken before the COVID-19 pandemic and this is only putting extra stress on the system.
The Morrison Government must do better for our most vulnerable older Australians.
The Morrison Government must learn from the past few months and act to prevent further outbreaks in the aged care system.
At almost every step of the growing outbreaks of COVID-19 in nursing homes the Morrison Government has been behind the eight ball and the consequences are sadly tragic.
The Department of Health revealed just 100,000 aged care workers have completed the Morrison Government’s training modules in infection control and how to use PPE.
This represents less than one in three aged care workers. Why did this completely inadequate take-up not raise serious alarm bells?
The Minister said nursing homes received PPE in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak but failed again and again to confirm if the Morrison Government had supplied enough PPE to prevent outbreaks.
We already know that despite more than 1,000 aged care providers requesting access to the national stockpile of PPE, the Morrison Government did no audit of nursing homes’ stock in the weeks before COVID outbreaks in Victoria.
The Minister said tragic communication failures at St Basil’s caused ‘angst’, but this could have been prevented if the Morrison Government learnt anything from the terrible events at Newmarch House.
Why were more resources not provided to avoid this situation repeating?
We have seen the devastating impact of COVID-19 outbreaks in aged care in Australia and across the globe.
Why was the Morrison Government not better prepared for outbreaks that would impact our nation’s most vulnerable?
Australia’s aged care system was broken before the COVID-19 pandemic and this is only putting extra stress on the system.
The Morrison Government must do better for our most vulnerable older Australians.
The Morrison Government must learn from the past few months and act to prevent further outbreaks in the aged care system.