Aged care workers devastated by lack of coronavirus support

The coronavirus outbreak has 'demonstrated that aged care is a chronically underfunded industry', says expert.

Residents having their seasonal flu vaccinations is important for aged care providers planning for a possible coronavirus outbreak.

THE coronavirus (COVID-19) threat is a chance for the government to deliver for aged care workers, says the Health Services Union.

The union's president, Gerard Hayes, said any additional funding into aged care must provide for the workers "fighting the COVID-19 virus on the front lines".

"HSU members work through outbreaks of the flu or gastro every year," he said.

"They are trained to manage situations like this but they are being let down by a sector starved of funding.

"They urgently need government funding for adequate personal protective equipment and staffing to fight this virus - the funding package the government is proposing must provide for that."

The union represents more than 25,000 aged care workers nationally.

According to the 2019 North Coast Skills Snapshot by Regional Development Australia - Northern Rivers, health care and social assistance comprises 16% of the Northern Rivers workforce, with 15,287 people in the category, making it the most important employment sector in the area.

Mr Hayes said the coronavirus outbreak has demonstrated that aged care is a chronically underfunded industry.

"Our discussions with big players in the industry reveal that most are lucky to have two days' worth of protective equipment, let alone the two weeks' worth required for a 14-day lock down," he said.

"Members have resorted to reusing ill-fitting disposable gloves, for example.

"Operators have resorted to budget cuts with casual workers and outsourcing key functions like cleaning and catering.

"Often this has put unscrupulous operators in charge of important issues such as sanitation. As we now see, this has disastrous consequences when we are hit with a disease outbreak.

"We can't expect this workforce to protect elderly residents unaided. The Federal Government must put aged care workers front and centre in its response."