Coronavirus: Urgent call for more nurses in understaffed aged-care homes

Aged-care homes need more nurses on duty because residents’ basic needs are not being met in many facilities, the nurses’ federation says.

Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck. Picture: Sean Davey

Aged-care homes need more nurses on duty, not just to ensure families can visit their loved ones in a COVID-safe manner, but ­because residents’ basic needs are not being met in many facilities, the nurses’ federation says.

The aged-care royal commission on Thursday laid out a series of recommendations to the federal government to address failings in an aged-care system in which more than 660 residents have died from COVID-19, including immediately funding more staff to allow family and friends to safely visit residents.

The commission’s report also called on the government to fund mental health and allied health supports for residents who suffered “tragic, irreparable and lasting effects” from lockdown.

The Minister for Aged Care, Richard Colbeck, said the government accepted all of the commission’s recommendations, and was providing $40m towards implementing them.

Aged care is also likely to be a big winner in Tuesday’s delayed federal budget, with Finance Minister Mathias Cormann confirming on Friday there would be more money provided to the sector.

However, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation said on Friday that the royal commission report’s recommendations didn’t go far enough to protect older Australians.

“Nursing homes desperately need additional nurses and care staff to provide safe, effective care outcomes for residents, not just to enable more visitors,” federal secretary Annie Butler said.

“While that is critical for the wellbeing of residents, more staff are urgently needed just to meet basic needs for residents in many nursing homes,” Ms Butler said.

“In Victoria, where privately run nursing homes set their own staff ratios, there were more deaths and higher rates of COVID-19 than in government ­facilities, which have mandated minimum staffing levels, including registered nurses on every shift.”

Aged-care workers say Senator Colbeck ignored their input in working out COVID-19 strategies during the pandemic.

“After multiple letters to Richard Colbeck this year, aged-care workers have not had the courtesy of a response,” United Workers Union Aged Care Director Carolyn Smith said.

“Senator Colbeck has spent a lot of time ducking his responsibility for this crisis. It’s time he looked aged-care workers in the eye and heard what’s going on.”

The commission criticised the government for insufficient leadership in preparing the aged-care sector for the coronavirus.

Provider group Leading Age Services Australia chief executive Sean Rooney said the recommendations would make a big difference to quality of aged care.