4 years ago
MORRISON GOVERNMENT FAILS TO DELIVER PPE TRAINING TO 4 OUT OF 5 AGED CARE WORKERS
Julie Collins MP
Just one in five aged care workers had taken the Morrison Government’s training in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) before COVID-19 outbreaks exploded in Victorian nursing homes.
Answers provided through the Select Committee on COVID-19 reveal only 66,000 people had completed aged care training in PPE by early June – Australia’s aged care workforce is estimated to be more than 360,000.
These answers also reveal the Morrison Government spent just $44,000 on developing this training.
On Monday the Prime Minister defended the Commonwealth’s work to prepare nursing homes for COVID-19 by pointing to this training.
“No, we've been taking action on this for weeks now, for weeks and weeks. And I outline those actions to you, in particular, taking the initiative to train the workforces in aged care.”
Answers provided through the Select Committee on COVID-19 reveal only 66,000 people had completed aged care training in PPE by early June – Australia’s aged care workforce is estimated to be more than 360,000.
These answers also reveal the Morrison Government spent just $44,000 on developing this training.
On Monday the Prime Minister defended the Commonwealth’s work to prepare nursing homes for COVID-19 by pointing to this training.
“No, we've been taking action on this for weeks now, for weeks and weeks. And I outline those actions to you, in particular, taking the initiative to train the workforces in aged care.”
- SCOTT MORRISON, PRESS CONFERENCE, MONDAY 27 JULY 2020
There have been multiple reports about staff lacking the appropriate training in how to use PPE in aged care which has contributed to issues at Victorian nursing homes.
This is yet more disturbing evidence of how little the Morrison Government prepared our nation’s nursing homes for outbreaks of COVID-19.
We knew from international experience how vulnerable our older people in nursing homes were to COVID-19. So why didn’t the Morrison Government do more to prepare workers?
Scott Morrison has said outbreaks will continue to occur, so it is vitally important every aged care worker across the country has undertaken appropriate training.
The Morrison Government must now urgently ensure all aged care workers have undertaken appropriate training in PPE and infection control.
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.
This is yet more disturbing evidence of how little the Morrison Government prepared our nation’s nursing homes for outbreaks of COVID-19.
We knew from international experience how vulnerable our older people in nursing homes were to COVID-19. So why didn’t the Morrison Government do more to prepare workers?
Scott Morrison has said outbreaks will continue to occur, so it is vitally important every aged care worker across the country has undertaken appropriate training.
The Morrison Government must now urgently ensure all aged care workers have undertaken appropriate training in PPE and infection control.
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.