Probe into St Basil’s and Epping Gardens COVID’s response released

A probe into St Basil’s and Epping Gardens nursing homes’ handling of deadly COVID-19 outbreaks has revealed a litany of failures.

Workers hurriedly hired to fill gaps when staff were furloughed at two Victorian aged-care facilities were “young”, “inexperienced” and only had basic English skills, a scathing independent investigation has found.

The probe into St Basil’s and Epping Gardens where 83 people died also found slow communication between facilities, families and government bodies and delays in testing lead to significant extra spread of the virus.

Almost 700 older Australians died from COVID-19 in nursing homes during the pandemic, almost all of which were in Victoria between July and August.

“These stark numbers do not begin to convey the trauma and grief suffered by all residents, whether or not they developed COVID-19, and the enormous impact on their families,” report authors Professor Lyn Gilbert and Adjunct Professor Alan Lilly said.

They also concluded:

MANAGEMENT at both facilities failed and did not meet the challenges presented by the outbreaks.

EMERGENCY plans were untested and reactive.

TRANSFER of residents out of homes into hospitals was poorly managed.

FAMILIES were often unable to get timely and accurate information about their loved ones.

Ambulance staff transport residents from Epping Gardens Aged Care at the height of the second wave. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

The probe found the Greek-dominated St Basil’s facility in Fawkner suffered immensely when all staff were forced to stand down and be replaced.

The lack of continuity between workers meant residents were left in soiled beds, not given their medications, dehydrated and unbathed.

More than 7000 aged-care staff were furloughed during the second wave because they were either close contacts or had contracted the virus, replaced with staff the professors said were unsuitable.

“Most had little experience in aged care, and many spoke only basic English,” they said.

“With little preparation or supervision, it is not surprising that many did not stay and those who did were quite likely traumatised.”

83 people died at the two nursing homes.

The report also found managers at St Basil’s “believed they were adequately prepared to manage a COVID-19 outbreak” — a belief quickly disproved when cases emerged in July.

Relatives were largely left in the dark about what was happening with their loved ones in the first week of the outbreaks, unable to get a clear answer from the centres and government agencies.

“What distresses relatives most was the neglect of basic care which, understandably, they interpret as a lack of respect and betrayal,” the report read.

Almost 700 older Australians died from COVID-19 in nursing homes during the pandemic, Picture: Jason Edwards

Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said the establishment of the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre in late July helped authorities get on top of the outbreaks. “It’s important we understand what occurred and what can be learned to make sure we can prevent similar outbreaks now and into the future,” Senator Colbeck said.

Towards the end of the second wave, Department of Health Secretary Brendan Murphy said some Victorian aged-care deaths could have been avoided if the commonwealth had set up its aged-care response centre earlier.

Opposition ageing spokeswoman Julie Collins said the failings were “heartbreaking and completely unforgivable”.

“Australians deserve better,” Ms Collins said.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said aged-care residents and workers were of the “upmost importance”.

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