TLC CEO Lou Pascuzzi wages war of words on fellow providers who can’t meet reform deadline

An aged care home boss has slammed fellow providers for their excuses for failing to do this one thing.

An aged care boss has hit out at fellow providers who say they cannot meet the July deadline for introducing 24/7 nursing staff on site.

TLC CEO Lou Pascuzzi, who runs a number of homes across Victoria, said it is “outrageous” that some providers are arguing they won’t be able to provide 24/7 nursing staff by the required deadline, despite having accepted extra funding to pay for it since October.

It follows the closure of three Sydney Wesley Mission aged care homes which management blamed on “challenges to workforce and flow-on impacts from the national reforms.”

The closures have left 200 vulnerable and elderly residents needing to find somewhere else to live by next month.

Following news of the closures last week, Aged Care Minister Anika Wells hit back at accusations that the government reforms were too tough on providers, saying Wesley Mission was not “blindsided” by the changes and warned against “scare campaigns” around the new rules.

Minister for Aged Care, Minister for Sport Anika Wells. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Aged care providers are facing a July 1 deadline to employ a nurse 24/7 at every site, despite a desperate workforce shortage, as part of Royal Commissions recommendations to improve the sector.

They are also required to meet increased care requirements — from 200 minutes per resident per day by October 1 to 215 by 2024.

“We certainly didn’t have to wait for a Royal Commission to tell us we needed 24/7 registered nursing staff,” Mr Pascuzzi said.

“We’ve had Registered Nurses (RN’s) on staff 24/7 since the inception of the company.

“We see it as being clinically necessary when providing this level of care to our residents.

“To hear some providers won’t meet the July 2023 deadline, particularly when they’ve had 18 months to prepare for it, and have been accepting the associated funding since October 2022, is outrageous.”

Outspoken TLC aged care CEO Lou Pascuzzi.

Mr Pascuzzi said he could understand homes finding it difficult meeting mandated care minutes, but not with providing 24/7 registered nursing staff.

“I can also see where small homes or rural and regional homes may struggle, but there are exemptions for small homes and monthly supplements for homes with less than 60 beds. “One registered nurse is a minimum for maintaining a high level of clinical care to residents, and to providing support to those staff who are not RNs.

“Ultimately, we have a duty of care to our residents and our staff.

“Our experience has not realised a shortage of RNs to meet the 24/7 requirements.

“Providers are exposing their inability to operate in the current climate, but high standards are what our aged care residents need and deserve. Perhaps more providers should consider whether they have the ability to operate in the sector.”

Liberal oppositional spokeswoman for aged care, Anne Ruston, says Labor’s deadlines for reforms are putting pressure on providers.

Shadow Minister Aged Care Anne Ruston blamed the Wesley closures on Labor being “reckless and damaging” in its deadlines for reform, especially as there is a workforce shortage.

“In their rush to tick and flick election commitments, the Albanese Labor Government failed to consider the challenging circumstances faced by the sector due to serious workforce shortages,” Ms Ruston said.

The aged care home closures last week follows the latest financial report from chartered accountants StewartBrown out this week that found the financial sustainability of many providers was now “critical”.

Originally published as TLC CEO Lou Pascuzzi wages war of words on fellow providers who can’t meet reform deadline