ANMF members and community protesting comments made by LASA CEO Sean Rooney on 4 Corners. Photo by Penny Stephens.
The ANMF’s national campaign for aged care ratios in private and not-for-profit sectors has received endorsement from the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia (CENA).
CENA Executive Director, Dr Julia Morphet said that the lack of nurse staffing in aged care has resulted in residents moved to emergency departments as nurses are understaffed to assess and manage residents who suffer clinical deterioration or an event such as a fall at their facility.
‘Movement to an unfamiliar environment is distressing for many older persons and their families and can cause delirium which is associated with increased risk of death’, she said.
The support comes as the Morrison Government announced the terms of reference for its royal commission into aged care quality and safety.
ANMF believes that while a royal commission is important, it will do nothing to fix the crisis in aged care unless the Morrison Government legislates ratios as a matter of urgency.
Aged care providers receive billions of dollars annually in tax-payer funded subsidies but without mandated ratios there is no guarantee funding will go directly to care provision.
The royal commission is expected to take 18 months to complete with an interim report by 31 October 2019 and a final report by 30 April 2020.
