Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Aged Care, Disabilities and Carers) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Ageing, Senator Santoro. Can the minister confirm that the Immanuel Gardens nursing home on the Sunshine Coast was sanctioned three weeks ago for failing to comply with aged care standards? Isn’t this nursing home the subject of allegations that a carer abused residents last year? Can the minister confirm reports that, after the carer was sacked over the allegations, he got another job at a nearby aged care centre? Doesn’t this case again highlight the need for stronger protections for aged care residents? Isn’t the government’s aged care system failing to protect frail, elderly Australians?

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

I thank Senator McLucas for her question. I am aware of allegations of inappropriate handling of residents by an assistant at the Immanuel Gardens nursing home. I understand that in fact that staff member’s employment has been terminated. Senator McLucas may not be aware, but I am making her aware now, that the matter is in hands of the Maroochy Criminal Investigation Branch of the Queensland Police Service. Therefore, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further in relation to that.

However, what I can say is that the department has been quite diligent in relation to this matter. On 6 February 2006 the department imposed a sanction on the Lutheran Church of Australia Queensland district, the approved provider of the Immanuel Gardens nursing home. The sanction was imposed because the approved provider failed to address noncompliance with the accreditation standards within the agreed time frame. I think that would indicate to Senator McLucas and other senators that the department is quite diligent in following up its obligations in relation to compliance. Under the sanction the approved provider has appointed an adviser with nursing experience to implement an improvement plan to address the areas of noncompliance for a period of six months.

The Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency undertook a review audit on 11 and 12 August 2005 and an accreditation site audit on 6 to 8 December 2005. It identified noncompliance with the accreditation standards. It is disappointing, I admit, that the provider allowed care to remain compromised to the extent that the department found it necessary to impose sanctions. The sanctions will assist and encourage the approved provider to improve the delivery of care and services to existing residents at the home. The department has written to the residents and their relatives, as they must when these sorts of cases unfold, to inform them of the situation. The approved provider held a meeting of residents and relatives to discuss issues at the home and explain what action is being taken to address those issues as a matter of urgency.

The Australian government has in place a quality framework to identify and quickly deal with issues that may affect the health, safety and wellbeing of residents. What this particular case shows—and I would like to say thank you to Senator McLucas for drawing this case to the attention of the Senate—is that the Australian government has a quality framework in place to handle contentious aged care issues such as this. I again stress that these cases are in the minority. The vast majority of aged care residents in publicly funded homes throughout Australia are in good care. They are cared for by people who regard their sole existence as being to take care of people who are elderly, vulnerable and potentially, in a minority of cases, subject to abuse. I reject with respect any suggestion by Senator McLucas that somehow the aged care quality control framework that the Australian government has in place is failing. I would again say to Senator McLucas that, really, this whole area of government policy is one that should be treated in an apolitical fashion, not because, as honourable senators feel—

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chris Evans interjecting—

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

I am more than happy to be held to account. I am not worried at all. Keep on asking the questions, because I have confidence in the system, whilst admitting that, where cases of finetuning become obvious, the government will respond to suggestions from residents, from relatives and from the professionals within the community.

Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Aged Care, Disabilities and Carers) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister confirm that when this nursing home was inspected in August 2005 the team found that it failed to comply with 15 of the 44 care standards, including clinical care, infection control and pain management? Did the agency’s report of August 2005 not note that the Immanuel Gardens nursing home has ‘a record of persistent failure to comply with accreditation standards over the last three years’? Why did it take from August 2005 to February 2006 to impose a sanction on this facility, which was clearly not meeting the expected care outcomes?

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

Obviously, Senator McLucas does not want to accept the reasonable answer that I have just given. That is fine. Once the accreditation agency found that there were some faults it had to go through some considerations and processes—

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Three years!

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

I reject the interjection by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. The department has in fact imposed sanctions. It is not often that sanctions of that severity are imposed on nursing homes, and I think that the department and the agency have acted with propriety.