Oakden whistleblower says rogue aged care homes will not get busted for substandard care
COVID-19 has forced a stop to surprise visits to facilities by the aged care watchdog. But amid national lockdowns, calls are growing for them to be bought back.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Oakden whistleblower Stewart Johnston nuts out need for change
- How to get the most out of your Advertiser digital subscription
Oakden whistleblower Stewart Johnson has called for surprise audits to return amid widespread residential aged care lock downs.
On April 5 Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner Janet Anderson confirmed
surprise inspections at aged care facilities had been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are widespread reports that residential aged care facilities across the nation, including in South Australia, are adopting more onerous restrictions on visitations.
The effective lockdowns have prompted Mr Johnston, whose mother Helen accused Oakden staff of repeated assaults in 2008, to call for the return of the surprise audits.
“Unannounced visits need to be reinstated immediately especially during these unprecedented times when we find facilities around the nation in blanket lockdowns over and above what the government and chief medical officers have recommended,” he said.
“It was beyond comprehension why the quality Commission announced the suspension of these visits.
“We just have no idea what is occurring in many of these facilities right now and it’s causing significant anxiety to many families across the nation.
“Any rogue operators were virtually given a green light that they wouldn’t be found out for substandard care.
“For many the real danger hasn’t been COVID-19, it’s been the zero oversight of any regulatory authority.”
The commission has been contacted for comment.
But in early April Ms Anderson told The Advertiser the Commission will undertake site visits only in particular circumstances and based on the level of assessed risk.
Ms Anderson said their approach around unscheduled visits was adjusted due to coronavirus, to ensure staff are briefed to make arrangements to meet the service’s infection control and health authority requirements.
However, she has sought to allay concerns about substandard care during the pandemic, saying the Commission continued to assess the risk based on intelligence it gathers and receives.
This week Ms Anderson said while some homes had earnt praise, it had received complaints from family unable to see their loved one, sometimes at their final stages of life.
She said the expectation was that restrictions were “caring, compassionate and proportionate”.
Mr Johnston has the support of SA-Best MP Frank Pangallo who has expressed frustration at local aged care facilities.
“Unannounced audits are needed now more than ever because if nobody is checking on them how will we know they are doing the right thing,” Mr Pangallo said.
“I hope the vast majority are doing the right thing but we need to know.”
“Incredibly, even after warnings they could be in breach of the standards and face sanctions, some facilities are still refusing to allow access.
“Personal human contact is vital for the mental wellbeing of residents. Doing it through fence bars or windows or by video streaming is unacceptable and not in the spirit of the call by the Government and chief medical officers to immediately ease restrictions. These providers can at least impose strict conditions on entry.
“These facilities are their homes. They are not gulags.”