Coronavirus: Newmarch House inquiry reveals no clear authority

Confusion over who had authority, inadequate staffing and poor infection control led to a fatal Covid spread, inquiry finds.

Sydney aged care home Newmarch House. Picture: Damian Shaw

Conflicting advice from authorities, confusion about which level of government was in charge and “invisible” management at Newmarch House all combined to drive the deadly COVID-19 nursing home outbreak that cost 17 elderly residents their lives, a new report finds.

An independent review of the outbreak in the Sydney nursing home also found it lost almost 90 per cent of its regular staff as the crisis spread, which was far beyond what the government had told it to prepare for, which was up to 30 per cent.

And the emergency “surge” staff brought in were found to have inadequate skills to support nursing home residents, adding to the unfolding chaos.

The review was released on Monday after weeks of pressure on the government over the adequacy of its response to the continuing coronavirus outbreak in Victorian nursing homes, where over 300 residents have died so far.

Counsel assisting the aged care royal commission Peter Rozen accused the government of failing to heed the lessons of earlier outbreaks such as that at Newmarch House, and of not having a specific COVID plan in place for aged care.

Scott Morrison on Monday told parliament the government’s response “was not good enough” in relation to four Victorian facilities that have been severely affected by the outbreak, apologising to residents and their families.

But the Prime Minister rejected claims there was no plan.

“That plan has been available since March of this year, and has continued to be refreshed and reported to the aged care sector,” he said.

“Assertions have been made before the royal commission. And we have rejected assertions.”

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said it was clear no plan had been put in place by the federal government, which is responsible for aged care.

“There wasn’t a plan, and there wasn’t the action that was required,” Mr Albanese said. “This could all have been foreseen.”

The Newmarch House review, co-authored by medical experts Lyn Gilbert and Alan Lilly, described “confusion, lack of clarity about the hierarchy of authority, unstable internal leadership and inadequate human and physical resources” during the early weeks of the outbreak that left 71 staff and residents infected with the virus.

“(This) had taken an enormous toll on Newmarch House residents, their families, staff and managers,” it said.

The report didn’t absolve management however.

“Leadership and management at Newmarch House and in the broader Anglicare organisation was generally invisible to external parties interacting with them.”

The report said the loss of so many staff, either through contracting COVID-19 or having to be isolated as a close contact, “could not have been reasonably anticipated.”

But it said staff loss had been exacerbated by poor quality or incorrect use of personal protective equipment.

The report proposed an expert panel to be created within a facility in the event of an outbreak.

“This panel should consult with the relevant Commonwealth and jurisdictional health agencies, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and the designated representative of the Approved Provider.

“As soon as an outbreak is declared the expert panel should be convened and residents should be transferred to hospital until the residential aged care facility is deemed safe and appropriate for residents to return.”