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

I thank Senator Moore for her questions. Since question time yesterday I have sought further advice in relation to the sequence of events that have been mentioned within Senator Moore’s question, and I am able to assist her and the Senate in a very comprehensive way. It is important that the Senate understand the sequence of events related to Immanuel Gardens Nursing Home and the role of agencies within my portfolio in this case.

In the case of Immanuel Gardens, the recent imposition of sanctions and claims of abuse against residents are two separate matters, and I want to address both of those matters very comprehensively so that there can be no misunderstanding. Sanctions were imposed on Immanuel Gardens in February this year relating strictly to non-compliance matters such as clinical care, infection control, human resource management and pain management stemming from a review audit undertaken by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency on 11 and 12 August 2005. That particular review audit was ordered after a scheduled support contact on 26 July 2006 found some noncompliance. That was a scheduled audit. This review audit led to the placement of Immanuel Gardens on a timetable for improvement—and I will explain during the course of the answer why a timetable for improvement is important.

As a result of ongoing noncompliance, the department issued a notice of decision to impose sanctions on 6 February this year. The compliance process in this case was managed strictly in accordance with the legislation, the main focus of which is bringing about improvements to care standards for residents. The process here was transparent and accountable. The department instigated the legal compliance process based on the recommendations of the agency. When the home failed to achieve the required improvements within the time frame set, the department did impose sanctions. This is one of the important points that I need to make for the benefit of all senators. It is important to remind them all that the quality framework in aged care is aimed at ensuring the best possible outcome for residents, not punishing providers at the expense of residents’ care. That was a prime objective of the department and of the agency when they adopted the time frame that they did in relation to this issue.

I want to stress something else. I want to say very deliberately that, separate to the sanctions process I have just referred to, Immanuel Gardens stood down an assistant nurse on 10 October 2005 on the same day that the allegations of abuse were made. I fear that as a result of the exchange yesterday there might have been some confusion as to when that person was stood down by the management of the nursing home. I want to stress that that person was stood down on the same day that the allegations were made. The matter was referred to the police, where, as I advised the Senate yesterday, it is the subject of an ongoing investigation. It is terribly important that these two issues are in fact not blurred.

I am serious about bringing positive changes in the aged care sector to increase the protection of elderly and vulnerable residents who are in the care of the aged care system within the states. I am engaging in responsible and extensive consultation with all components of the aged care system in this country, and we will deal with these serious allegations in a measured and constructive way. I will not be bulldozed into knee-jerk reactions and I will not respond to any abuse of the department or myself. These are serious matters that require serious consideration and serious input from the professionals who have the facts and the figures and lifelong experience in this matter, and I intend to conduct myself accordingly.