4 years ago
WHY HASN’T THE MORRISON GOVERNMENT NOT LEARNT MORE AFTER NEWMARCH TRAGEDY?
Julie Collins MP
Deeply concerning reports about communications failures at nursing homes in Victoria sadly show the Morrison Government has not learnt enough after the Newmarch House tragedy where families were left in the dark about residents in care.
Answers received through the Select Committee on COVID-19 reveal the Commonwealth provided just one social worker to communicate with families and loved ones at Newmarch House, and only after a number of residents already tested positive to the virus at the facility.
With reports in Victoria of loved ones being kept in the dark and receiving inconsistent information about nursing homes with COVID-19 outbreaks it seems the Morrison Government has not learnt enough from this tragedy.
The Morrison Government must now step up and ensure the families and loved ones of residents in aged care facilities impacted by COVID-19 are provided with timely and correct advice about the status of outbreaks.
Failure to ensure open communications with families and loved ones will only compound the tragedy of outbreaks of COVID-19 in nursing homes.
Labor has consistently said since fresh outbreaks of COVID-19 in nursing homes that communication with families and loved ones must be better.
In the critical weeks leading up to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Victorian nursing homes, why didn’t the Morrison Government and the aged care regulator do more to protect older Australians?
We have seen the devastating impact of COVID-19 outbreaks in aged care in Australia and across the globe.
Australia’s aged care system was broken before the COVID-19 pandemic and this is only putting extra stress on the system.
Answers received through the Select Committee on COVID-19 reveal the Commonwealth provided just one social worker to communicate with families and loved ones at Newmarch House, and only after a number of residents already tested positive to the virus at the facility.
With reports in Victoria of loved ones being kept in the dark and receiving inconsistent information about nursing homes with COVID-19 outbreaks it seems the Morrison Government has not learnt enough from this tragedy.
The Morrison Government must now step up and ensure the families and loved ones of residents in aged care facilities impacted by COVID-19 are provided with timely and correct advice about the status of outbreaks.
Failure to ensure open communications with families and loved ones will only compound the tragedy of outbreaks of COVID-19 in nursing homes.
Labor has consistently said since fresh outbreaks of COVID-19 in nursing homes that communication with families and loved ones must be better.
In the critical weeks leading up to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Victorian nursing homes, why didn’t the Morrison Government and the aged care regulator do more to protect older Australians?
We have seen the devastating impact of COVID-19 outbreaks in aged care in Australia and across the globe.
Australia’s aged care system was broken before the COVID-19 pandemic and this is only putting extra stress on the system.