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Staff and Resident Care Not Good Enough at Moree
The inspection of a Moree nursing home in NSW has revealed how the absence of minimum staffing levels is directly affecting the care of residents and putting the workforce under huge pressure.
The Fairview Nursing Home passed accreditation despite failing 11 of the 44 standards set down by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency.
The agency's official report said staff numbers were found to be insufficient and residents and their families were complaining that those that worked there were too busy to provide all the care they needed.
''Staff interviewed expressed the opinion that they felt stressed from chronic understaffing and said that they were concerned that these conditions may adversely impact on the care of residents.
''They informed the assessment team that areas such as managing challenging behaviours and the resident exercise program was affected.''
The inspectors also found that the managers of the nursing home had no plans to improve the staffing situation.
Health Services Union national secretary Craig Thomson said he was concerned that despite the negative findings the home had its accreditation extended for another year from 11 August 2003 to 11 August 2004.
''This is a striking example of the failure of the regulation of aged care,'' he said.
''Clearly this facility has been found to be understaffed but because there is no minimum staffing level anywhere in the industry they are effectively allowed to get away with it. How long had this been going on before the inspectors arrived?.
''And instead of being told they have to employ a minimum number of staff immediately the facility is given 12 months to make unspecified improvements.
''Who will know whether any extra staff are employed? There is no indication that the management want to improve staffing and they certainly don't listen to the concerns of the people working there.''
Contact Details
Health Services Union
Ph: 0393413330
Fax: 0393413329
http://www.labor.net.au
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