The Federal Government will invest $500,000 in a 12-month trial of the surveillance and monitoring system, which will run across at least five SA Health-managed facilities in the second half of 2019.
The State Government will run the trial in partnership with the UK’s Care Protect – a specialist in audio-visual monitoring services for health and social care environments.
The technology, which is monitored 24/7, detects excessive noise and movement and light changes, triggering an alert to a reviewer who can view the footage within seconds.
The announcement of the CCTV trial program follows numerous allegations of poor-quality care and malpractice by aged care home staff, most famously at the SA Government-run Oakden facility.
Only residents and families who provide consent will take part in the trial.