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

My question is to the Minister for Ageing, Senator Santoro. Can the minister confirm media reports that eight residents at the Jindalee Nursing Home in Canberra have died as a result of a recent flu outbreak, with a further 72 residents and staff infected? Can the minister confirm the report that only half of the residents and staff had received a flu vaccination, which may have contributed to the outbreak? Under the Commonwealth care standards, are facilities required to offer vaccinations to all residents and are all staff required to have a vaccination? Has the standards agency conducted a review audit on this facility to assure residents and families that appropriate infection control measures are in place?

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

I thank Senator McLucas for her question. Firstly, I would like to address the part of her question that dealt with vaccinations, because most Australians would appreciate that it is a very sensitive issue. The Aged Care Standards and Accreditation scheme was put in place by the Howard government, and I would suggest to the Senate that it is working very well to look after the interests of older Australians in residential care. Any constructive suggestions from other jurisdictions or from medical or aged care experts will always be considered seriously—and I would like to go on the record here as saying that we do appreciate the suggestion that has been made by the Australian Capital Territory Chief Health Officer—but it must be remembered that immunisation is a voluntary decision for the individual concerned. In that context, I sought to prepare myself, Senator McLucas, to give you as constructive an answer as I could. I undertake to look very closely at the CHO’s suggestion and consider any workable suggestions for improvements in terms of the accreditation system, bearing in mind that, as I said, immunisation is a voluntary decision for individuals.

Going to the substantive part of Senator McLucas’s question, I am aware of an outbreak of respiratory illness in residential aged care homes within the Australian Capital Territory. Public health responsibility for monitoring communicable diseases and delivering immunisation services within the Australian Capital Territory rests with ACT Public Health. The Australian government, through its Office of Health Protection, is available to provide advice and assistance in the management of outbreaks of influenza and other diseases in conjunction with the ACT office of the department and has been in regular contact with ACT Public Health. I am advised that there has been very good and regular contact between the two.

Officers of ACT Public Health have been working with the management of homes in the ACT to monitor the outbreak and to provide antiviral and other treatments to staff and residents of the affected homes. I am advised that appropriate infection control procedures have been implemented and that homes where an outbreak has been identified are not admitting new residents and are limiting access to visitors to those homes. The Department of Health and Ageing is maintaining regular contact with the ACT health authorities and is continuing to monitor the situation. In addition, the Department of Health and Ageing is contacting all homes in the ACT and surrounding regions to ascertain whether any other homes are affected by respiratory illness. The Department of Health and Ageing provides regular reminders to providers on prevention of infectious diseases, including the need to vaccinate, the importance of good surveillance for symptoms and risk factors and the requirement to have in place infection control practices. The last reminder was issued to all homes in the ACT in June this year.

The Influ-Info Influenza Kit for Aged Care has been developed and provided to all aged care homes, specifically to assist care managers to implement influenza control planning. The kit includes a quick reference tool specifically focused to assist residential aged care homes and staff with information to reduce influenza outbreaks and risks and on ways to care for residents should an outbreak occur. Approved providers of aged care homes are expected to ensure that residents are made aware of the availability of the influenza vaccination program and how the program may be accessed. Pneumococcal vaccinations are also available for older Australians. Evaluation of the influenza program has shown that implemented vaccination coverage in Australians aged 65 or over has increased from 69 per cent in 1999 to 79 per cent in 2004.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That’s a good trend.

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

As Senator Abetz points out, given that vaccinations are a voluntary decision, that is indeed a very good trend. (Time expired)

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

Mr Deputy President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister confirm that this facility was reviewed in May this year, when the assessment team found that the facility did not have the staff needed to provide care ‘in accordance with the accreditation standards’ and that, ‘as a result of unfilled shifts and extra workloads on existing staff, staff are unable to complete all tasks expected of them whilst on duty’? Didn’t the assessment team recommend a two-year accreditation period with a follow-up visit within three months? Did that follow-up visit take place and, if so, what was found by the agency?

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

The questions that have just been put to me by Senator McLucas are quite detailed in the technical material that will have to be available to me. I will have a look at the questions by Senator McLucas and I will get back to her if it is appropriate.