Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Aged Care, Disabilities and Carers) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Santoro, the Minister for Ageing. Can the minister confirm that an inspection of the John Cani Estate hostel in Queensland in November 2005 found residents were at serious risk because of substandard care? Didn’t the agency’s report note: that a registered nurse was only employed for five days a fortnight, despite having 17 high-care residents; that two carers were employed to look after residents in three separate buildings; that, due to lack of staff, residents with dementia regularly absconded; and that acute episodes were not properly followed up, including an incidence of fluid faecal vomiting? Despite these findings, can the minister confirm that it took two months before sanctions were imposed and actions taken to improve care in this facility? Is the minister satisfied with the speed with which the government acted to protect the residents of this facility?