Independent Clark MP Andrew Wilkie makes shocking claims about Southern Cross Care Tasmania

Independent Clark MP Andrew Wilkie has made a series of stunning claims about Tasmania’s largest aged care provider, calling for an urgent investigation to be launched.

Andrew Wilkie independent member for Clark. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Independent Clark MP Andrew Wilkie has used parliamentary privilege to make a series of explosive claims about Southern Cross Care Tasmania, calling for the aged care watchdog to urgently launch an investigation into the provider and its leadership.

Speaking in the federal parliament on Monday night, Mr Wilkie said Southern Cross Care Tasmania (SCC), which is the largest not-for-profit aged care provider in the state and runs nine residential facilities across the island, “continues to fail in its obligations and older Tasmanians continue to suffer”.

He said Advocacy Tasmania had supported more than 100 SCC residents and their families over the past year as they attempted to “resolve a multitude of service and care issues”.

According to Mr Wilkie, there have been complaints about “dangerously low” staffing levels, forcing residents at high risk of falls to shower, toilet and dress themselves; poor quality food, food service, and general care; and “consistently slow and dangerous bell response times”.

Andrew Wilkie MP. Picture: Chris Kidd

“One resident … [was] left without a main meal on at least eight separate occasions in the space of just two months,” he said.

The MP also cited one instance where staff failed “to notice a resident’s significant health deterioration until a family member demanded attention”.

“There has even been an utterly bizarre instance where Southern Cross applied to the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal for a guardianship order over a resident. Thankfully, this application was dismissed by the tribunal,” he said.

An SCC spokesman said the provider disputed “the level of complaints made about its facilities”.

“Southern Cross Care has been engaging with Mr Wilkie and his office since March and there is a standing offer that any matters will be fully investigated after specific details are provided to us,” he said.

Rivulet Aged Care Home (Southern Cross Care) in Hobart. Picture: Supplied

“We welcome scrutiny of the operations of our residential care facilities. All nine have been re-accredited by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, most of them in the last 13 months.

“The Commonwealth government’s well regarded Star Rating System for residential aged care gives our facilities an average of four out of five for quality of care measures, compared to one for our largest competitor.”

Mr Wilkie said he wanted to be clear that he had heard “many positive stories about the hardworking and overworked Southern Cross staff, and my complaints are not about them”.

He moved a motion calling on the Albanese government to expand the powers and resourcing of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, enabling it to “effectively manage complaints and impose meaningful sanctions”. It was not put to a vote.

Labor Member for Lyons Brian Mitchell. Picture: Toby Zerna

However, Lyons Labor MP Brian Mitchell, responding to Mr Wilkie on behalf of the federal government, said it was a “very good motion”.

Mr Wilkie met with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, Janet Anderson, on Tuesday to ask her to commence an investigation into SCC.

He said that while the meeting was confidential, he was given “a very good hearing” and he “left the meeting feeling confident that change is coming to Southern Cross Care”.

Originally published as Independent Clark MP Andrew Wilkie makes shocking claims about Southern Cross Care Tasmania