Rex Patrick (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Colbeck. One of the three aged-care facilities in Whyalla operated by Kindred Living, the Annie Lockwood Court hostel, will close. The announcement came at short notice and the facility will close on 27 August. That is 16 days away. That will leave, as I understand it, at least 20 residents either living outside of Whyalla or stranded. Can the minister provide the chamber with an understanding of what the situation is with the Annie Lockwood Court hostel?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] I thank Senator Patrick for the advice on the topic of his question. As Senator Patrick has indicated, the operators of Annie Lockwood House in Whyalla have indicated that they intend to close the facility and they have set a closing date of 26 August. The government has been working closely with the operators of Annie Lockwood Court, Kindred Living, in Whyalla for a considerable period. Senator Patrick would recollect the issues that came to light last year with respect to the care of residents within Annie Lockwood Court. A notice to agree was applied to the facility at that point in time, and that notice to agree remains in place.

We have dedicated staff who work exclusively with the facility, and the facility has dedicated staff appointed to work with the residents and their families to provide suitable alternative accommodation. Kindred Living are aware of their responsibilities to maintain care for the residents. So it's not necessarily a matter of the facility closing on 26 August. Kindred Living are required under the act to support residents and identify alternative suitable accommodation or continue to care for them. I've been working alongside the South Australian government to ensure that there is capacity for the service to provide care— (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Patrick, a supplementary question?

Rex Patrick (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, I'd like to know what options the government is considering in relation to Annie Lockwood Court to ensure that the facility, for example, remains open or the residents remain in Whyalla. Other options are a COVID surge for staff and those sorts of things. What has been considered? What are the potential remedies?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] The decision to retain the facility as an operated facility is one for the provider, Kindred Living. But what the government has done to support them is provide additional workforce capacity in circumstances where they haven't been able to maintain that themselves. We've been working with the South Australian government to look at what strategies there are to support residents in the short term and to ensure capacity and supply of aged-care services in the medium term. We've provided a surge workforce to the facility so they can maintain the capacity they're looking for. There will be a weekly meeting between the federal Department of Health, the state department of health and Kindred Living to continue to work through the options for both the short-term and the medium- to long-term provision of services in Whyalla. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Patrick, a final supplementary question?

Rex Patrick (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, there have been reports of difficulties with the finances across the three facilities and, indeed, sanctions applied to the facilities. Will the government consider exercising its powers under section 63J to revoke the provider's approval and have others potentially take over the facilities or indeed the Commonwealth take over the facilities, even if that might be just for the short term?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] Senator Patrick is correct that there has been regulatory action taken against the service, because the government's first priority is to ensure the quality of care for residents within the service. We are not contemplating taking over the service. We've had conversations with the South Australian government, as I've indicated, with respect to what the options might be there. I'm aware that there are discussions between Kindred Living and another party with respect to the possible sale of the service. We continue to work with Kindred Living and, where possible, we will support those processes to ensure that there is appropriate capacity for the delivery of aged-care services within Whyalla. We want people to be able to age in the communities where they live, so we're discussing with the South Australian government and Kindred Living the options to ensure that that can be the case.