2020-08-11
Questions to Prime Minster and Cabinet today at the COVID hearing have shown that despite the aged care crisis the Government is not doing enough to ensure that all aged care providers around Australia are completely prepared.
"It’s pretty obvious that prevention is better than cure and after speaking to the Department today I have very little confidence that they are taking an appropriate leadership role.
"We cannot just wait around, rely on self-assessment by providers on their readiness for an outbreak, there needs to be action around the country.
"It’s gobsmacking that the Department is not more concerned about this when we see the crisis in Victoria and that they are not swiftly acting to ensure such outbreaks don’t happen in other states.
"Australians are sick of the blame game, they are sick of the buck passing.
"It’s time for the Federal Government to take responsibility and take a leadership role in coordinating and preventing future failures. The very bare minimum is ensuring that each facility has as much PPE on hand as they need, that all staff have undertaken face to face training on infectious disease control and to ensure that the number of nurses and carers for each facility are increased to ensure the recommended amount of care needed.
"Last time I questioned the Health Department we learned that only about half of all aged care workers had done online infection control training. It’s not good enough."