Coronavirus: Aged-care regulator misses 83pc of homes

The nation’s aged-care regulator has checked infection control proced­ures in just one in six facilities across the nation.

Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck. Picture: Sean Davey

The nation’s aged-care regulator has checked infection control proced­ures in just one in six facilities across the nation, despite the sector­ facing the highest death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Victoria, where 607 aged-care residents have died with COVID-19, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission had checked infection control systems in just 21 per cent of homes as at September 11, according to federal Department­ of Health data. In NSW, just 131 of 883 homes or less than 15 per cent had been checked, while just 81 of 472 Queensland facilitie­s (17 per cent), had an infection control monitoring visit.

Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck’s state, Tasmania, had received the most inspections, with 70 per cent of facilities getting a visit from the federal watchdog.

The ACQSC began making infection­ control monitoring visits to nursing homes across the nation­ last month. The compli­ance checks are to ensure that staff, management and visitors are adhering to personal protective equipment protocols and infection control arrangements.

“This program is in addition to the commission’s usual assessment and auditing program, and includes unannounced visits to residential aged-care services without an outbreak to check compliance with PPE and infection control arrangements,” the Department of Health data says.

The majority of these visits began last month, well after Victoria’s second wave began. However, the Northern Territory and ACT received their first checks from the watchdog ` this month.

The Australian understands that while the most recent weekly snapshot failed to provide an update­ on increases in infection control monitoring visits, a further 200 homes have been checked since September 11.

Senator Colbeck said every aged-care provider had been ­ contacted since the pandemic began.

“The commission has conduct­ed a telephone assessment of every aged-care approved provider as part of a national activity to monitor providers’ preparation for a potential COVID-19 outbreak and manage visitor restrict­ions in a manner that is consistent with advice from the relevant health authorities,” he said. “As at Friday, 18 September, total visits by the commission number 1215.

“Of those, 798 related to infect­ion control, including­ spot checks. I am confid­ent the work … will continue, with an emphasis on ensuring­ the quality of care for senior Australians, in what is a challenging time for the … sector.”

But opposition aged-care spokeswoman Julie Collins accused­ the commission of being too slow to act. “Australians deserv­e swift action to ensure aged-care homes are safe and have the best possible infection control practices,” she said.

“It is clear the aged-care regul­ator doesn’t have the powers and resources it needs to ensure older Australians are receiving high-quality aged care.”

Kathy Eagar, director of the Australian Health Services Research Institute at the University of Wollongong, told The Australian she would expect infection-control inspections to focus on high-risk homes.

Professor Eagar said the fact that deaths from infections such as gastro and the flu among aged-care residents had fallen this year showed poor infection control had long been an issue for the sector.