The compensation law firm has announced it is investigating a potential class action against Anglicare after 19 residents at the home died during its 65-day coronavirus outbreak.

National Practice Leader Lisa Flynn said Shine will allege the Not For Profit was negligent in its handling of the health crisis and breached its duty of care to residents.

“Grieving relatives want to know why their loved ones weren’t immediately taken to hospital after testing positive so they could receive the high-level clinical care they needed,” Ms Flynn said.

“They also want to know why they were kept in the dark as coronavirus spread through the facility and why staff were either not qualified or not properly supported to make critical decisions.”

“The reality is lives would have been saved if Newmarch House had the right protocols and medical care procedures in place and adhered to them from the start.”

Class actions do require seven people to join the claim.

Shine says that they had already been contacted by several eligible individuals and are canvassing other families to join.