Warnings of Australia’s ‘dangerous’ shortage of nurses in aged care

Warnings about a dangerous shortage of nurses working in Australian aged care facilities have emerged amid ongoing fears of a coronavirus pandemic.

AUSTRALIA has a “dangerous” shortage of nurses working in aged care as the nation prepares for widespread transmission of the new coronavirus, a key union warns.

Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union secretary Beth Mohle said public hospitals would be unable to accept nursing home patients in the event of a coronavirus pandemic.

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“Nursing shortages in aged care are being dealt with by providers transferring residents when they get ill to public hospitals,” Ms Mohle said.

“Public hospitals will not have the capacity to accept them if a pandemic hits.

The Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union has warned of a “dangerous” shortage of nurses in aged care as COVID-19

“What are they going to do to provide qualified nursing care in those scenarios? They won’t be able to transfer their problem. This critically needs to be addressed.

“We do not catastrophise but these are really, really significant concerns. This is a very serious situation.”

Her pleas to the Federal Government to urgently address the issue came as Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said people aged 70 and over with chronic health conditions were most at risk from COVID-19.

“We’re working very closely with all states and territories and with the Commonwealth to work through what we can do in that space,” Dr Young said.

Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union secretary Beth Mohle concerned about nursing shortages in aged care amid coronavirus fears. Photo Claudia Baxter, AAP.

International data suggests COVID-19 death rates in cases aged between 70 and 79 are eight per cent and more than 14 per cent in those aged 80 and over.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles called on aged care providers to “reconsider their level of nursing care” in light of the pending pandemic.

“I’m incredibly concerned about aged care,” Mr Miles said.

“We know that most of the people who will die as a result of coronavirus are the elderly.

“They seem to be the most susceptible based on the international evidence.

“I’ve spoken often about how I believe that all aged care facilities should have sufficient nursing care to take care of their residents and I am of the view that many do not.”

Mr Miles said Queensland’s public hospitals do significant outreach from emergency departments into aged care facilities and he expected this would continue during coronavirus outbreaks.

“Our hospitals will take all necessary steps to care for elderly Queenslanders including, if required, visiting those aged care facilities … providing telehealth support from the emergency department, as well as, of course, emergency transfers, if required,” he said.

Despite the significant coronavirus fears for the aged care sector, a Federal Health Department spokeswoman said calls for mandatory nurse-to-staff ratios in nursing homes

would be considered when the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety reports later this year.

In the meantime, she said the department had written to aged care providers to remind them of the importance of “having and maintaining transmission-based precautions to prevent and control infections”.

“As well as implementing an infection control program, there should be established protocols in place at aged care homes to manage any health emergencies that arise, including service-wide infection outbreaks or broader community epidemics,” the spokeswoman said.

“The department will be engaging with the sector shortly to share information about the virus and support the sector’s preparedness planning.”

The spokeswoman said that although the number of COVID-19 cases in Australia to date had been small, this situation could change and services needed to plan and be prepared.

“The COVID-19 plan outlines responses and actions we can take should a widespread community transmission occur in Australia and ensures we target resources and public health interventions to most effectively protect the health of all Australians,” she said.