Gastroenteritis outbreak: Broughton Hall

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24 April 2007
CP 36/ 07

I am continuing to monitor the situation at Broughton Hall nursing home very closely. As always in aged care, the health, safety and wellbeing of residents is the overriding consideration.

Between 17 and 23 April 2007 an assessment team appointed by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency conducted a review audit at Broughton Hall nursing home and hostel.

The assessment team has now completed its statement of major findings and provided it to Broughton Hall management yesterday afternoon. Under Commonwealth aged care legislation relating to accreditation, Broughton Hall now has seven days in which to make a written submission in response to these findings.

Last week I indicated that I would make more information available when I had been briefed on the assessment team’s findings.

The assessors have recommended that Broughton Hall nursing home be found non-compliant with 12 accreditation outcomes, although the agency has not yet made a formal decision on the non-compliance.

In their statement of major findings, the assessors found that there were systemic failures in relation to documentation, staff training and procedures, and have also recommended that the home be found non-compliant in relation to clinical care, nutrition and hydration, continence management, regulatory compliance and infection control.

The assessors have also recommended that the Broughton Hall hostel be found non-compliant with eight accreditation outcomes, although their concerns related primarily to shared systems with the nursing home rather than direct care of the hostel residents.

The assessors noted that the home has already taken steps to remedy some of the identified issues of concern, including through increasing staff and expertise. Once the home has made its submission, the agency will finalise its Review Audit Report and give the home a timeframe within which the issues must be remedied. The agency will also provide the completed report to the Department of Health and Ageing, which will consider whether compliance action is appropriate.

In the meantime, the agency will visit the home daily, giving particular attention to those outcomes relating to care. The agency will keep my department fully informed and, if further concerns are identified, all necessary action will be taken.

I am advised that the Department of Human Services is continuing to investigate the cause of the outbreak of salmonella and the other issues that have been raised in respect of water quality.

The Department of Health and Ageing is also investigating claims aired in the media last week that, following a gastroenteritis outbreak, staff of Broughton Hall were pressured into misdating documents relating to food safety procedures. The investigation at this point has not found any evidence to support the claims. Investigators will continue their attempts to contact the person who provided this information to the media. If anyone has any further information of relevance to the investigation, I ask that they contact the department's Complaints Resolution Scheme on 1800 550 552. Information can be provided confidentially.

Media contact: Adam Howard 0400 414 833