John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Santoro, the Minister for Ageing. Can the minister confirm that the Immanuel Gardens Nursing Home has failed to meet care standards for last three years? Can the minister also confirm that inspections of this facility on 26 July 2005, 11 and 12 August 2005, and 6 and 7 December 2005 all found serious breaches of care standards, yet no sanctions were imposed? Didn’t the December 2005 inspection find that residents were at risk because of unsafe medication management, inappropriate behaviour and poor pain management? Is the minister also aware of comments by a carer at the facility that she only attends to resident incontinence when she can smell them? Given this evidence, why did residents have to wait until February this year before a nursing adviser was appointed? Is the minister satisfied with decisions to continually give this provider more time while residents endured substandard conditions?

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

Senator Hogg will remember that yesterday I answered a question from Senator Moore in relation to this particular nursing home. I refer Senator Hogg to the comprehensive reply that I provided in relation to that particular nursing home. However, I did say that I would come back to the Senate if there was further information I could supply to it, particularly following Senator Moore’s question. I am able to advise the Senate as follows. In accrediting the home for a further period of only 10 months—and senators should note that the normal period is three years—the agency allowed the home time to address identified areas of noncompliance in line with a timetable for improvement. Consideration was given to not accrediting the home based on the home’s previous record of noncompliance and the noncompliance found at the site audit conducted on 6 December 2005. However, the agency took account of the fact that the home complied with 37 of the 44 outcomes. The home had demonstrated a commitment to rectify the noncompliance. The home had satisfactorily remedied previous noncompliance. The home had engaged consultants to assist in implementing improvements. The home had instigated a program of internal auditing to measure compliance with accreditation standards. As a result of all this, the agency was satisfied that the home would undertake continuous improvement.

We will continue—and I can assure Senator Hogg and the Senate of this—to monitor that particular nursing home’s very well thought out attempts at continuous improvement. Should there be any further developments in relation to that, I will be very happy to come back here and inform the Senate.

John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. In respect of the 10-month accreditation extension, what signal does this send to the community and the industry where a provider is accredited despite continually failing to meet care standards?

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

The signal that this particular situation sends out to the community is that the accreditation agency and the department, and through those agencies the government, continue to take very seriously their duty of care responsibilities in relation to nursing homes. I have clearly explained that the extension was for only 10 months, when the normal period is in fact three years. I have assured the senator that continuous monitoring will occur in relation to that nursing home. I again assure Senator Hogg and all senators that, if there are any further developments in relation to this matter, I am more than happy to come back and inform the Senate on those developments.