Santo Santoro (Queensland, Liberal Party, Minister for Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McLucas for her question. Firstly, I would like to address the part of her question that dealt with vaccinations, because most Australians would appreciate that it is a very sensitive issue. The Aged Care Standards and Accreditation scheme was put in place by the Howard government, and I would suggest to the Senate that it is working very well to look after the interests of older Australians in residential care. Any constructive suggestions from other jurisdictions or from medical or aged care experts will always be considered seriously—and I would like to go on the record here as saying that we do appreciate the suggestion that has been made by the Australian Capital Territory Chief Health Officer—but it must be remembered that immunisation is a voluntary decision for the individual concerned. In that context, I sought to prepare myself, Senator McLucas, to give you as constructive an answer as I could. I undertake to look very closely at the CHO’s suggestion and consider any workable suggestions for improvements in terms of the accreditation system, bearing in mind that, as I said, immunisation is a voluntary decision for individuals.

Going to the substantive part of Senator McLucas’s question, I am aware of an outbreak of respiratory illness in residential aged care homes within the Australian Capital Territory. Public health responsibility for monitoring communicable diseases and delivering immunisation services within the Australian Capital Territory rests with ACT Public Health. The Australian government, through its Office of Health Protection, is available to provide advice and assistance in the management of outbreaks of influenza and other diseases in conjunction with the ACT office of the department and has been in regular contact with ACT Public Health. I am advised that there has been very good and regular contact between the two.

Officers of ACT Public Health have been working with the management of homes in the ACT to monitor the outbreak and to provide antiviral and other treatments to staff and residents of the affected homes. I am advised that appropriate infection control procedures have been implemented and that homes where an outbreak has been identified are not admitting new residents and are limiting access to visitors to those homes. The Department of Health and Ageing is maintaining regular contact with the ACT health authorities and is continuing to monitor the situation. In addition, the Department of Health and Ageing is contacting all homes in the ACT and surrounding regions to ascertain whether any other homes are affected by respiratory illness. The Department of Health and Ageing provides regular reminders to providers on prevention of infectious diseases, including the need to vaccinate, the importance of good surveillance for symptoms and risk factors and the requirement to have in place infection control practices. The last reminder was issued to all homes in the ACT in June this year.

The Influ-Info Influenza Kit for Aged Care has been developed and provided to all aged care homes, specifically to assist care managers to implement influenza control planning. The kit includes a quick reference tool specifically focused to assist residential aged care homes and staff with information to reduce influenza outbreaks and risks and on ways to care for residents should an outbreak occur. Approved providers of aged care homes are expected to ensure that residents are made aware of the availability of the influenza vaccination program and how the program may be accessed. Pneumococcal vaccinations are also available for older Australians. Evaluation of the influenza program has shown that implemented vaccination coverage in Australians aged 65 or over has increased from 69 per cent in 1999 to 79 per cent in 2004.