Tasmanian aged are sector workers recording concerns on new sit

It was only launched hours go but already a new aged care portal is receiving reports from workers across Tasmania.

SEVEN reports of understaffing and inadequate levels of care in Tasmania’s aged care facilities have been filed within hours of a new online portal being launched to record failures in the system.

Aged Care Watch – a tool which has been developed by the United Workers Union to allow workers, residents and visitors to report instances of short-staffing and other safety incidents – was launched on Friday.

More than 2000 reports from across Australia have already been logged on the whistleblowing site with that number expected to grow significantly as it becomes more accessible.

Those reports have included claims of aged care residents being left in distress, soiled and unattended.

Workers are also routinely reporting being unable to complete their work, missing breaks and suffering injuries and abuse on the job due to understaffing problems.

A worker at a aged care facility in Devonport reported staff were under pressure in the morning to stick to routine and complete tasks within a tight time frame.

“They often do not have the free space or leisure to interact with residents, to help engage them in social activities. Every day is just another groundhog day set to repeat,” the worker said. The worker also said residents were left soiled for extended periods.

Breaking News Breaking News Carolyn Smith from the United Workers Union

Reports of understaffing leading to distress for both residents and staff have also been lodged by workers from St Ann’s Homes in Hobart, Huon Eldercare in Franklin and Snug Village.

Residents and families of Rivulet aged care home received a letter from the Aged Care Quality Safety Commission saying it had failed to meet quality standards.

A commission spokesman said an unannounced visit to the home in August “identified an immediate and severe risk to the safety, health or wellbeing of residents”.

Southern Cross Care said it was committed to improving the areas of concern.

Workers Union Aged Care Director Carolyn Smith said aged care workers had had enough and were no longer going to keep the lid on failures in the system.

“They are exposing the dirty secrets of aged care, and it’s not a pretty picture,” Ms Smith said.

“Aged care workers are telling the public about the terrible conditions they face daily as they campaign to change aged care.”

Reports made to Aged Care Watch are vetted then made publicly available on a map, giving details of the facility, the location and brief details of the issue.

Tasmanian aged care home under scrutiny from Safety Commission

Residents and families of an aged care home in Tasmania have received a letter from the Commission saying the service had failed to meet quality standards.

Aged Care Quality Safety Commission director Elsy Brammesan sent the letter, which the Mercury has seen, to families and residents of Rivulet aged care home in South Hobart on August 17.

Southern Cross Care Tas Inc – which owns Rivulet – has received a Notice to Agree to Certain Matters after a Commission visit in early August, Ms Brammesan wrote.

“The Commission visited the service and found that it is not providing care to consumers that meets the Aged Care Quality Standards,” she said.

“As the service failed to meet the Quality Standards, I have issued a Notice to Agree to Certain Matters to ensure that Southern Cross Care (Tas) Inc … make improvements which ensure these failures are fixed as a matter of priority.”

Ms Brammesan said the service had agreed to appoint an advisor for six months, provide staff with training, and hold teleconferences each fortnight to report to the Commission.

The letter also detailed a meeting to provide information to residents, relatives and representatives, which was held on Wednesday.

An anonymous source claimed the meeting was a “shemozzle” and claimed there had been a mood of “discontent” among residents about the home’s “lacking” staffing levels.

A Southern Cross Care spokeswoman said the visit on August 2 was the second visit from the Commission to Rivulet since they had taken over in December.

“The first assessment visit, which occurred a mere six weeks after Southern Cross took over the site … occurred in January,” the spokeswoman said.

Southern Cross Care.

“That visit, while fully reaccrediting Rivulet, noted some areas for improvement in their report.”

The spokeswoman said the home had a new Clinical Aged Care Specialist Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Consultants in Pharmacy, and upgrades to ICT infrastructure.

“However, it is clear we still have work to do, and we are committed to doing so.”

The spokeswoman said the meeting on Wednesday involved over 60 clients.

“Unfortunately due to Covid restrictions we were forced to hold the meeting virtually, which wasn’t as effective as we would have liked,” she said.

“For that reason we are in the process of organising follow-up, one-on-one meetings with residents and their families.

“We look forward to taking the people of the Rivulet facility on this continuous improvement journey with us.”

A Commission spokesman confirmed the contents of the letter and said the January and August site visits were unnannounced site audits.

The spokesman said the August visit “identified an immediate and severe risk to the safety, health or well-being of residents”.

“If the Commission has additional concerns about the safety of residents, it may take further regulatory action including applying sanctions, varying (i.e. shortening) the accreditation period, or revoking approved provider status,” the spokesman said.

The Commission can be contacted via 1800 951 822 or agedcarequality.gov.au.