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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-04-01 Daily Xml
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MAKK AND McLEAY NURSING HOME

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister Assisting the Minister for Health) (15:07): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I rise to advise the chamber that tenders have been sought for a not for profit non-government organisation approved aged care provider to manage the Makk and McLeay Nursing Home in partnership with Central Northern Adelaide Health Service.

Makk and McLeay Nursing Home is a commonwealth licensed home that specialises in caring for older people with severe dementia, who often have very challenging behaviours. A number of the residents in the home have been referred there by the commonwealth's Aged Care Assessment Team because they have not been successful in other nursing homes due to their challenging behaviours.

On 12 February, I advised the council that Central Northern Adelaide Health Service received notice in December 2007 from the commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing of a decision to impose two sanctions under section 67(5) of the Aged Care Act in relation to the Makk and McLeay Nursing Home.

Since December 2007, the Makk and McLeay Nursing Home has been subject to sanctions after it was found to be non-compliant against 26 of the 44 expected outcomes in the accreditation standards. Two serious risk areas were noted and these related to the unreliability of the staff duress alarm system and concerns regarding the complex management needs of residents who exhibit challenging behaviours.

These sanctions resulted in no further funding being made available for any new residents entering the Makk and McLeay Nursing Home, and Central Northern Adelaide Health Service was required to appoint an approved nursing adviser. Both of the serious risk issues have been mitigated. In addition, an experienced aged care director of nursing with extensive experience in the private aged care sector was also appointed to work alongside staff in the home and support the activities of the nurse adviser.

A site audit was conducted on 26 to 29 February 2008, followed by a review audit on 1 to 2 March 2008 by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency. The review team noted significant improvement at the service delivery level; however, 'evidence of sustainability' is a key requirement to achieving compliance. I am advised that full compliance with all of the standards will only be able to be established after some time has elapsed due to the sustainability test which the assessors apply.

I am advised that, since December 2007, the home has been found to be fully compliant in an additional 10 standards and that non-compliance has been reduced from 26 to 16 of the 44 standards as noted by the assessors who undertook both the site and review audits. Action plans are in place to address all of the remaining standards, and the audit review team acknowledged that the home had indeed made progress.

The review audit team recommended that accreditation for the home continue; however, on 18 March, Central Northern Adelaide Health Service received advice from the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency regarding an intention to withdraw accreditation of the Makk & McLeay Nursing Home. This is subject to a formal process of reconsideration by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency before any further action can be taken by the federal agency.

I am very hopeful that the reconsideration process will see the home continue to receive accreditation. If this is unsuccessful, a number of other steps are available, including an appeal of the decision or seeking exceptional circumstances consideration, which would allow the home to continue receiving federal funding until new organisational arrangements are put in place.

I acknowledge that the home has made some progress since the adverse assessment in December; however, I am frustrated and disappointed that questions remain over standards at the home. I must be satisfied that the residents of the home are receiving the best possible care and that the home is fully compliant with accreditation standards. I have directed Central Northern Adelaide Health Service to partner with an expert aged residential care organisation to jointly provide services on a daily basis.

I have also asked Central Northern Adelaide Health Service to initiate a limited tender process with three experienced and respected aged care providers with the closing date of 2 April. It is expected that a preferred provider for this management partnership will be identified within the next week or so.

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