Western Downs councillor goes to bat for under the pump aged care staff

The decision and debate came just four months after the council closed the doors of their aged care facilities to new residents after revelations of substandard care of elderly locals.

COUNCIL NEWS: Western Downs council plans to open up aged care home to new residents despite major staff shortage. Pic: Supplied

Just months after shocking revelations of poor care of elderly residents at the council-run Carinya Residential Aged Care Facility in Miles, Western Downs councillors have voted to re-open the doors to welcome more residents.

In February, the council-run aged care home in Miles, and more so concerningly Tarcoola in Tara – had been battling staffing shortages which significantly impacted the standards of care.

The issues surrounding the safety, health, and wellbeing of residents at the Tarcoola Aged Care Facility came to light when the Western Downs Regional Council issued a letter to residents’ families detailing multiple failings at the nursing home.

An audit was conducted on the Tara home, where it was revealed the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission had exempted the nursing home from being reaccredited, because of “exceptional circumstances”.

At the council’s ordinary meeting in Tara on Wednesday, May 19, a three-stage motion passed regarding the councils aged care facilities – most contentious was the third point which stated that, “Carinya recommence accepting new residents”.

Finance, corporate services and business strategy councillor Ian Rasmussen raised concerns over the motion moved by Western Downs deputy mayor Andrew Smith.

“We (said we) would be going into a holding pattern until we had our staff numbers, and we could guarantee permanent staff to ensure the safety and care of our residents - so that’s a bit of a challenge and consideration for me,” Cr Rasmussen said.

“What we are doing is removing, in my view, the responsibility from ourselves by recommending that we go back to accepting new residents, we are putting the pressure back on to the CEO and staff.

“That means if we have any loss of staff there, then we are in serious trouble and the CEO will have to make a call on the next step of action.

“It’s certainly a slippery slope at the moment, especially with the pressure that we have with the staffing and the uncertainty that we can attract and maintain staff right across our facilities.”

Deputy mayor Smith acknowledged the concerns and said the decision to stop taking on new residents was a blanket move across the Tarcool and Carinya aged care homes.

“(Our) Carinya aged care facility staffing concerns are currently acceptable to be able to give quality age care to those residents, therefore I think it is the right thing to recommend accepting new residents,” he said.

“That motion is purely around getting back on the horse and getting operating again.”

Speaking at the meeting, Tara GP Dr Tim Lloyd-Morgan said he felt compelled to speak on behalf of the community’s health, especially considering the Tarcool home had been “in a virtual lockdown for some months”.

“I would dearly appreciate some clarity, transparency, and some open communication to reassure frightened residents, and very frightened staff, who have been white-knuckle about their employment, I think they deserve a more cogent and a more balanced informative response from you,” he said.

One of the motions’ three points, which had been carried unanimously, was for the council to host information sessions in both Tara and Miles to update the community on the facilities.

Here’s the full three-point motion which had been carried:

1. Councillors be provided a full tour and onsite update by CEO and GM Community and Liveability at both Tarcoola and Carinya Residential Aged Care facilities (in accordance with appropriate COVID-19 procedures).

2. Council hold information sessions in both Tara and Miles to update community on WDRC’s Residential Aged Care Facilities including:

a. the positive outcomes of the recent Audit conducted by the Aged Care Commission at the Tarcoola facility.

b. New staffing models and procedures for Tarcoola and Carinya.

c. Industry-wide challenges of attracting staff to aged care facilities and the impact of the current shortage at Tarcoola; and d. The changing landscape of Aged Care in Australia as a result of the Aged Care Royal Commission findings and recommendations.

3. Carinya recommence accepting new residents.

Upcoming community consultation sessions:

1. The Tarcoola Residential Aged Care Facility consultation will be held at the Tara Soldiers memorial Hall on Wednesday, June 2, at 5.30pm.

2. The Miles Carinya Residential Aged Care Facility consultation will be held at the Miles Leichhardt Centre on Thursday, June 3, at 5.30pm.