Staff and Residents Suffer in Aged Care When Staffing is Inadequate

Widespread staff shortages are severely affecting the care of elderly residents in aged care with clear evidence they do not get adequate treatment or therapy and face a much greater risk of violence and assault.

The information is contained in the union's submission to the Senate Inquiry into Aged Care, which was called due to concerns about failing care standards in the industry.

The submission, which is being released today, provides full details and examples of:

• Employers escaping proper scrutiny by making major changes to staff numbers, care plans and records in the days before an inspection takes place by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency;

• Inadequate care in facilities without sufficient staff with residents more likely to be injured or assaulted, not given the proper care or therapy, left in bed until after lunch or showered at 5am;

• Increasing assaults with staff regularly left alone with little or no training to care for more than 50 residents;

• Nurses and care staff avoiding the industry because of the terrible pay and conditions;

• Employers taking advantage of a lack of regulation of the industry to cut spending on staffing and care levels;

• How the government is handing out over $1.4 billion extra for employers to spend without any accountability.

HSU national secretary, Craig Thomson, said the situation in aged care was getting worse not better.

"In NSW alone, of the 25 facilities inspected by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency since March, a total of 12 of them have been found to be sub-standard.

"We believe the actual rate is much higher because the agency is failing in its role and giving facilities too much notice before they conduct inspections allowing staffing and records to be changed.

"It is a care crisis that has to be fixed. Without mandated minimum staffing levels it is the survival of the fittest in aged care."

Download File:
Read the HSU submission to the Senate Inquiry [ pdf ]

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© 2003 Health Services Union (HSU)
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Last Modified: Wednesday, 16-Nov-2005 17:19:27 EST