Epping Gardens aged care facility charged over deadly Covid outbreak

Another aged care provider faces a multimillion-dollar fine after being charged over a Covid outbreak which killed more than 30 people.

Another aged care provider is facing a multimillion-dollar fine after they were charged over the 2020 Eppings Gardens Covid outbreak that took more than 30 lives.

Heritage Care has been charged by WorkSafe Victoria with three occupational health and safety offences, including failure to ensure a safe workplace, and faces a maximum total fine of $4.47 million.

WorkSafe Victoria has accused them of failing to train staff on several personal protective equipment guidelines — including when it should be changed and how to safely dispose of it.

The training failures are alleged to have occurred between March 13 2020, when Australian guidelines on PPE use in care facilities were released, and July 20 2020, when the outbreak began.

WorkSafe Victoria accused Epping Gardens of failing to correctly train staff on PPE protocols. Picture: David Crosling

The outbreak would go on to infect 89 residents, 65 staff and take the lives of 34 residents.

A WorkSafe Victoria statement said the “complex investigation took 22 months to complete and involved reviewing thousands of pages of documents and multiple witness interviews”.

“A number of other investigations relating to the control of Covid-19 related risks in workplaces remain ongoing.”

Heritage Care will appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on August 8.

It comes after St Basil’s was charged with similar offences last week over a deadly outbreak during Victoria’s second wave that led to the death of 45 of their aged care residents.

The Herald Sun has contacted Heritage Care for comment.