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Staff Shortages and Care Problems at Nursing Home
The Health Services Union today called for urgent action over the Collaroy Nursing Home where understaffing was found to be so bad that the health and safety of staff and residents was in jeopardy.
HSU National Secretary Craig Thomson said the facility was found by government inspectors to be so short of care staff that there had been no time to document or analyse problems among residents including incontinence, skin tears, pressure sores and scabies outbreaks.
The inspectors from the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency reported there have been repeated outbreaks of infections including staph and scabies among staff and residents at the home.
Staff had reported problems with hygiene including maggots crawling all over the staffroom floor.
Mr Thomson said care staff were unable to provide any weekend activities for the elderly residents because they were so busy and there had been no time to even assess whether staff were working in a safe environment.
''This is the sort of facility that shows the major flaws in the way aged care facilities are regulated,'' he said.
''Nursing homes aren't required to have any minimum number of staff working at any time and without that there is nothing to guarantee the quality of care that residents will receive.''
''Staff at this facility have repeatedly asked for the numbers of workers to be increased but nothing was done.
''While sanctions have now been imposed on the nursing home there is nothing inspectors can do to make sure staff numbers reach a minimum standard.
''That is where urgent action needs to be taken by the Federal Government to set standards that will provide at least a basic guarantee of the level of care for residents.''
Contact Details
Health Services Union
Ph: 0393413330
Fax: 0393413329
hsua@hsu.net.au
http:www.hsu.net.au
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