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'Terrible situation': fourth death as nursing home struggles with staffing
By Mary Ward
A fourth resident has died from COVID-19 at Newmarch House aged care facility in western Sydney, as the facility's operator says it remains understaffed despite federal government assistance.
A 79-year-old woman with multiple serious health issues died early on Thursday morning, operator Anglicare confirmed. The facility near Penrith has the largest coronavirus cluster outside of the Ruby Princess ship.
"I have talked directly to the immediate family of the resident and conveyed our sincerest condolences,” Anglicare Sydney CEO Grant Millard said on Thursday afternoon.
"Every death of one of our residents is always difficult for our staff, other residents, their family, and our extended Anglicare family.
"We sincerely appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers during this terrible situation."
There have been 44 cases of COVID-19 linked to Newmarch House, which is part of Anglicare's Caddens Village, after a staff member worked for six days while infectious earlier this month.
The coroner leaves Anglicare's Newmarch House aged care facility at Caddens on Thursday.Credit: Rhett Wyman
Fifteen staff and 29 residents, four of whom are deceased, have tested positive.
The 25 residents are being treated through the Nepean-Blue Mountains Local Health District's "hospital in the home" program.
Although the program provides a daily visit from NSW Health doctors and nurses, it does not extend to daily living support, which is the responsibility of Anglicare, a spokesperson for the district said.
Mr Millard said the facility was still struggling with staff shortages after the outbreak forced 55 of its regular staff to self-isolate due to either contracting or being exposed to the coronavirus.
The facility operated with less than two-thirds of its usual staff numbers on Wednesday, despite the efforts of the federal government and employment agencies to find additional carers.
Family members of patients have reported long wait times for care, with one woman saying her grandmother had to wait two hours after pressing her buzzer for help with respiratory problems.
In a statement, Anglicare said the process of dressing in full personal protective equipment, additional hygiene practices and maintaining social distance meant it was taking staff at least five times longer to deliver "the care [their] residents and their families expect".
A video call between family members of residents, Mr Millard, Nepean Hospital's Dr James Branley and a federal Department of Health representative was scheduled for Thursday evening.
"The purpose of this conference is to communicate with family members ... about the issues we have faced to date and the measures that have and will continue to be implemented across the home," an email sent to family members on Thursday read.
"We appreciate and understand why families are upset, frustrated and disappointed," Mr Millard said.
On Wednesday, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said the federal government was providing additional staff for the facility, as well as protective equipment and testing services from private provider Sonic.
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