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PDF printable version of Sanctions - Statement on Rosden Private Nursing Home (PDF 27 KB)

24 September 2008

The Australian Government is embarking on a plan to relocate residents from a Melbourne nursing home – due to serious concerns about resident care and safety.

Last night (September 23), the Department of Health and Ageing imposed sanctions on Rosden Private Nursing Home at Burwood East – based on advice from the independent watchdog, the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency (The Accreditation Agency). The Accreditation Agency began a review audit on Friday September 19.

The Department of Health and Ageing were advised that the nursing home “failed to provide a safe and clean environment for its residents and has compromised their privacy and dignity”.

Rosden Private Nursing Home was identified on an unannounced visit by The Accreditation Agency.

The Accreditation Agency conducted the unannounced comprehensive audit on Rosden Private Nursing Home as it had key personnel in common with another nursing home – the Lakes Entrance Aged Care Facility – which is the subject of tough sanctions.

(This is standard procedure under the Department of Health and Ageing and the Accreditation Agency’s Quality Assurance framework.)

Last week, the Department of Health and Ageing imposed tough sanctions on Lakes Entrance Aged Care Facility in the East Gippsland region of Victoria – following the identification of serious risk to residents involving the provision of care particularly in medication management.

Rosden Private Nursing Home has 55 residents and is operated by TCL Nominees Pty Ltd which has key personnel in common with JKL Nominees Pty Ltd – which operates Lakes Entrance Aged Care Facility.

The Accreditation Agency found that the nursing home had been non-compliant in 17 outcomes out of 44 and identified serious risk to the health, safety and well being of residents.

The issues of concern at Rosden Private Nursing Home include:

• Residents sharing an eight-bed room ward which does not meet minimum privacy and space requirements;
• Inadequate toilet, shower and bathroom facilities for the number of residents which are also being shared by male and female residents, impacting on their privacy and dignity;
• Safety issues including potential fire hazards; potential tripping and choking hazards;
• Dirty communal bathrooms, floors, walls, chairs and equipment;
• Unsafe storage of chemicals; and
• Ineffective security.

In response, the Australian Government has taken tough action, including:

• Daily visits by the Accreditation Agency;
• Commonwealth Nursing Officers visiting nursing home twice daily;
• Revocation of all places at the nursing home with effect from midday on October 1;
• Relocating all residents – in conjunction with their families and other nursing homes; and
• No Commonwealth subsidies for new residents.

The Department of Health and Ageing has already identified more than 90 nursing home beds in the area as possible places for residents being re-located.

Aged and Community Care Victoria and its chief executive, Mr Gerard Mansour have offered to assist with the re-location plan.

Minister for Ageing, Mrs Justine Elliot said the Australian Government is committed to working to improve aged care in Australia. “This is about protecting frail and aged Australians,” Mrs Elliot said.

“We make no apologies for taking prompt action to protect older Australians.”

Unannounced visits and Sanctions

Earlier this year, Mrs Elliot announced 3,000 unannounced visits by the Accreditation Agency to improve the quality of aged care in Australia.

From July 1 to September 17, there have been 270 unannounced visits by the Accreditation Agency in Victoria alone.

There are 11 nursing homes in Australia under sanction out of nearly 3,000 homes.

In Victoria, there are currently five nursing homes under sanction.

They are Parkdale House, Kirralee Residential Aged Care Facility, Patricia Gladwell Aged Care Home, Lakes Entrance Aged Care Facility and Rosden Private Nursing Home.

For more information, contact Mrs Elliot's office on (02) 6277 7280