Covid vaccination rates for south coast aged care facilities revealed

New government data has revealed the vaccination rates for staff in all aged care facilities across the south coast, as providers race the clock to increase jab numbers before the September deadline.

Vaccination rates for aged care staff at every nursing home across the south coast region have been revealed.

The data has been published on the Australian Government’s Department of Health website and it shows the percentage of staff at nursing homes across the country who have had at least one dose of a vaccine to protect against Covid.

The federal government has mandated full time, part-time and casual residential aged care workers, volunteers engaged by a facility, and students on placement are required to receive a minimum first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by September 17.

According to the website, between 70 and 79 per cent of aged care workers at 33 outlets from Nowra to the Victorian border have now had at least one vaccine dose.

Sapphire Coast Community Aged Care Group CEO Matt Sierp (left) says staff at his two homes will soon be completely vaccinated.

Sapphire Coast Community Aged Care Group CEO Matt Sierp said vaccinations at his two centres has gone well.

He overlooks both Bega’s Hillgrove House and Pambula’s Imlay House.

“I can confirm there have been plenty of opportunities for staff to be vaccinated, and we still have less than four staff needing to be vaccinated,” he said.

“They are scheduled this week, so I’m pleased to report we will have 100 per cent completed.”

Other centres with rates between 90 per cent and 100 are Bupa Berry, Shoalhaven Place Care Community, Nowra’s Jonathon Rogers House and Jean Ross House, RFBI Basin View Masonic Lodge, Inasmuch Community Hostel in Sussex Inlet, Denhams Beach Care Community, Albert Moore Gardens in Merimbula and Eden’s Roy Wotton Gardens.

However, according to the data a number of homes are lagging with vaccination rates around half or less.

IRT Greenwell Gardens in Nowra recorded a rate of between 10 and 19 per cent on July 22.

Its Culburra Beach home recorded a rate between 50 and 59 per cent on August 23, and the St Georges Basin home recorded the same rate on August 24.

The Crown Gardens home in Batemans Bay and Sarah Claydon in Milton, and its Moruya home recorded a higher rate of 60 to 69 per cent on August 23.

The company has been contacted for comment on whether they will hit the 100 per cent target by the September deadline.

Supplied Editorial IRT Greenwell Gardens in Nowra. Picture: Google Maps

The Glen Residential Care Service in Catalina recorded between 50 and 59 per cent on August 27, as did Broulee’s Banksia Lodge on August 3.

The only other centre to record a rate less than half was Catholic Healthcare Maranatha Lodge in Batehaven, which recorded a rate of 40 to 49 per cent on August 13.

A spokeswoman for Catholic Healthcare said the actual current rate of 97 per cent vaccinations had not been updated on the website.

“Catholic Healthcare has been working very closely with local health services to ensure all residents and staff have been able to access COVID-19 vaccinations, including running on-site clinics,” the spokeswoman said.

Supplied Editorial Catholic Healthcare Maranatha Lodge in Batehaven. Picture: Google Maps

“The information on the government website in this instance doesn’t accurately reflect recent staff vaccination clinics.

“Catholic Healthcare will be liaising with the federal government to ensure current figures are updated on their website.

“The health and safety of our residents and staff is our highest priority.”

A Department of Health spokeswoman said the vaccination data website was launched on August 22 and said all data may not be up to date due to aged care providers failing to update the government about increasing vaccination uptake by staff.

“All residential aged care providers are required to report on the status of their workforce Covid-19 vaccination on a weekly basis every Tuesday via the My Aged Care portal,” they said.

“However, all providers are encouraged to update their data within 24 hours following an on-site vaccination clinic or workers attending off-site clinics where significant changes in vaccination rates occur in between reporting periods.

“The publication of the data prompted some facilities which had not updated their information recently, to do so.”

Below are the vaccination rate details currently displayed on the website.

90 to 100 per cent vaccination rate

Bupa Berry in Berry (as at August 25)

Shoalhaven Place Community Care in Nowra (as at August 24)

Jonathon Rogers House in Nowra (as at August 26)

Jean Ross House in Nowra (as at August 26)

RFBI Basin View Masonic Lodge at Basin View (as at August 24)

Inasmuch Community Hostel in Sussex Inlet (as at August 23)

Denhams Beach Care Community (as at August 30)

Hillgrove House in Bega (as at August 24)

Albert Moore Gardens in Merimbula (as at August 26)

Imlay House in Pambula (as at August 24)

Catholic Healthcare Maranatha Lodge at Batehaven (as at September 2)

80 to 90 per cent vaccination rate

Bupa Eden in Eden (as at August 31)

Coastal Waters Aged Care in Warrawong Heights (as at August 24)

Hugh Cunningham Gardens in Tura Beach (as at August 26)

70 to 79 per cent vaccination rate

RFBI Berry Masonic Village in Berry (as at August 24)

60 to 69 per cent vaccination rate

Clellan Lodge in North Nowra (as at August 27)

IRT Sarah Claydon in Milton (as at August 23)

IRT Crown Gardens in Batemans Bay (as at August 23)

IRT Moruya at Moruya (as at August 23)

Estia Health in Dalmeny (as at August 24)

50 to 59 per cent vaccination rate

IRT Culbutta Beach at Culburry Beach (as at August 23)

IRT St Georges Basin at St Georges Basin (as at August 23)

The Glen Residential Care Service in Catalina (as at August 27)

Banksia Lodge in Broulee (as at August 3)

10 to 19 per cent vaccination rate

IRT Greenwell Gardens in Nowra (as at July 22)