The NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has waded into the outbreak at Anglicare’s Kingswood aged care home on Tuesday night, telling the media that the NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard had contacted Aged Care Minister, Senator Richard Colbeck, over concerns about the “lack of communication” between the operator and residents’ families.
“(We contacted the federal Aged Care Minister) to express our government’s concerns at the lack of communication between the centre’s operators and the relatives,” she said. “I can’t imagine how distressful that is.
“Many of us who have a loved one in an aged care home, it would be devastating not to contact them, not to be able to be with them, and we made our concerns known to the federal minister.”
“We say to the operators of that aged care home ‘you need to lift your game’ in communicating to loved ones.”
“It’s not acceptable to keep people in the dark, just put yourself in the shoes of those people, it’s horrific to be fearful about firstly, potentially losing a loved one, but then not knowing what's going on and not being able to offer that care.”
In a press conference on Wednesday, Health Minister Greg Hunt also weighed in, stating that Newmarch House’s communication had been lacking.
“We have stepped in precisely because of that reason. [We have] made it absolutely clear that there has to be clear, consistent and ongoing communication with the families,” he said.
“On our watch, in our time, we will make sure that they are communicating with all of the families.”
However, Anglicare says it has been sending daily emails to the families of Newmarch residents since Easter Sunday on 12 April – over two weeks ago.
“For every one of our residents who are sadly COVID-19 positive, we are in regular phone contact, at least once a day, with that resident’s designated representative – the person responsible,” CEO Grant Millard said.
“It is a legal requirement for providers to only communicate directly with the ‘person responsible’ for the resident, maintaining the choice exercised by the resident and observing privacy law.”
“It is very hard, we know, when others in the families are worried about the health of their mother or father, but unfortunately, as the provider under the Act, we can only communicate directly with the person responsible.”
A group of 90-plus family members has reportedly sent an open letter to Mr Millard asking for a dedicated phone hotline.
But is this realistic under the circumstances?
There are currently 81 residents living at the home with around 20 Registered Nurses, 25 carers, 11 cleaners and a GP on site daily.
23 of these residents have tested positive for COVID-19, while the other 58 would have a number of complex needs and conditions.
“(It’s) really running as a pseudo hospital at the moment,” Mr Millard told ABC News.
“Some people you are bringing in for these services are not clinicians, they’re not used to wearing personal protective equipment.”
“It’s a very dangerous place for people to be working.”
Is the Premier in a place to criticise Anglicare during this situation? And when she herself has still not explained who is responsible for the Ruby Princess?
The comments also raise the question: who will defend the sector?
The major aged care peak bodies and organisations have been working together with the Government on a solution on easing visitor restriction for families.
But as Ms Berejiklian – and the ongoing stand-off between providers and the Prime Minister over visitor restrictions – have shown, the sector seems to have no single voice that is being heard by Government.
Is it time for the sector to unite together behind one body to argue their case?
