An investigation has been ordered into deaths at Carinity Fairfield Grange nursing home in Townsville

THE Aged Care Minister has ordered a fresh federal investigation into a Queensland nursing home where police are probing the deaths of five residents.

• Suspicious deaths spark probe

AGED Care Minister Ken Wyatt has ordered a fresh federal investigation into a Townsville nursing home where police are probing the deaths of five residents.

Mr Wyatt said he was “extremely saddened’’ to hear of suspicious deaths at the Baptist-run Carinity Fairfield Grange home.

“As police continue their investigations, I have asked the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner to urgently examine that … Carinity has taken the appropriate actions,’’ he said.

Police and the Queensland Health Ombudsman are investigating allegations that a nurse administered a lethal dose of drugs to resident Charlotte Paluszak.

Acting Premier Jackie Trad yesterday described the news as “incredibly serious and disturbing’’.

Carinity chief executive Jon Campbell said three registered nurses had been sacked and referred to the police and the coroner, along with a doctor who supervised them.

State Health Minister Steven Miles accused the federal government – which funds and regulates aged care – of “dropping the ball intentionally to save money’’.

“The way this country is treating our grandparents in aged care facilities is a disgrace,’’ he said.

The Courier Mail revealed on Tuesday that Carinity Fairfield Grange had failed an Australian Aged Care Quality Agency audit of clinical and palliative care.

The audit found that “medications are not consistently managed safely and correctly’’.

The Townsville nursing home is one of four facilities in Queensland flagged by the federal Health Department as a “serious risk’’ to the safety, health or wellbeing of residents.

An investigation has been ordered into deaths at Carinity Fairfield Grange nursing home in Townsville.

Another “serious risk’’ home, Forest Lake Lodge, failed its audit after staff told government inspectors they “do not have sufficient time or resources to complete their work and meet care recipients’ needs.’’

But owner Sidney Lau, a Brisbane doctor and acupuncturist, yesterday said “all the issues have been fixed’’.

“We really didn’t deserve the finding and would strongly dispute that,’’ he told The Courier Mail.

“We’ve since done a lot more to get it to a much better level.

“We’re looking after very sick people … they are very fragile.

“Even if you touch them their skin could tear. They are in pain when you move them.

“If you give them too much medicine they could become drowsy and fall over.

“Sometimes they can’t swallow and get dehydrated. It’s very, very complicated.’’

Queensland Health operates the other two “serious risk’’ homes – Cooinda House and the Dr EAF McDonald Nursing Home.

A Queensland Health spokeswoman yesterday said police had not been called to investigate either facility.

She said Cooinda House had “moved quickly to address concerns about the impact a high-care resident’s behaviour was having on other people’’ last July.

The Dr EAF McDonald nursing home had been refurbished and upgraded, after an audit identified “opportunities to improve the environment of the home’’.