Spot checks in nursing homes, Tangerine Lodge Annette Ellis - Shadow Minister for Ageing and Seniors, Shadow Minister Assisting on Disabilities

Radio Interview with Louise Yaxley

Radio National, PM Program, - 3 June 2003

E & OE

Presenter: Labor's Aged Care spokesman claims dangers to residents of aged care homes are not being picked up because there aren't enough unannounced inspections. She cites the example of the Tangerine Lodge in Victoria which has failed 33 out of its 44 accreditation standards - including privacy and dignity, fire and emergency standards, inspection control, pain management and nutrition. Louise Yaxley reports.

Yaxley: Labor's spokeswoman Annette Ellis says the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency's report into Tangerine Lodge is a horror story. A resident admitted to the Mount Martha Home on March 13^th this year with insulin-dependent diabetes should have had blood sugar tests up to four times a day. But the audit team found no record of their blood sugar being tested for five days. Another resident who had a pressure sore, told auditors the wound wasn't always dressed because staff said they had run out of dressing materials. Six residents' files were reviewed and none of the six had a completed long-term care plan. Annette Ellis argues more spot checks must be done.

Ellis: In the year 2002, the Department's information to us is that they carried out 900 spot checks nationally. Now there are 3,000 facilities. Now that means that even if they did 900 every year for three years you're lucky to have a visit once in three years. The accreditation system generally grants accreditation for up to three to four years.

Yaxley: So every nursing home should be ideally looked at least once a year?

Ellis: I would like to think that that is something we could consider. But rather than get into the question of the mathematics of what is acceptable or not, what is not acceptable is what is happening now and that is that there are 2,100 nursing homes in 2002 that haven't been spot checked and the concern to me is the frequency by which we are now hearing, month in and month out, of the growing level of concerns the accreditation process or agency is looking at in terms of queries around nursing homes. So that in itself shows that the current level of checking is definitely insufficient.

Yaxley: The Department found Tangerine Lodge posed a serious risk to its residents and banned the Lodge from taking any new people for six months. Ms Ellis says the Department has taken strong action against Tangerine Lodge, but she demands more answers.

Ellis: My concern, of course, is what was the period of time in the lead up to those sanctions being put into place, and in relation to this particular nursing home, two elderly people died, neither of them having care plans in place it seems according to the Agency's own document at the time that they passed away.

Now there were other scathing reports about this particular nursing home as well. People with diabetes and other recognised illnesses not having proper care plans in place. I mean it is absolutely disgraceful. So the concern to me is, yes six months might be ok, who is running the place in the mean time? What sort of management practices are now there to ensure that the residents in that place are now getting the care that they deserve and should be getting? And what was the time lag that led to those actions being in place? In other words, how long were people with diabetes and other conditions in that facility not receiving adequate treatment before the flag went up to the top of the pole? That is my concern.

Yaxley: The Minister, Kevin Andrews, wasn't available for interview but says the Department is closely monitoring care standards at Tangerine Lodge. He says the Government has a vigilant monitoring and inspection service. He says of the 2,950 nursing homes in Australia, only six have sanctions on them. And Mr Andrews says there were 3,600 inspections of nursing homes last year, and almost 1,000 of those were unannounced spot checks. Annette Ellis says those surprise visits are the most useful and should be increased.

Presenter: Louise Yaxley reporting.

Ends