Media releases

The high number of COVID-19 outbreaks in aged care homes in Victoria has reinforced the need for everyone working in the aged care sector to be alert and work collaboratively in responding to individual outbreaks. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission remains strongly engaged with aged care services experiencing an outbreak, exercising all our powers as the aged care regulator to minimise the risk to consumers and staff. As we monitor and support these services, the Commission is working closely with the Commonwealth Department of Health, the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre and Victorian health authorities.

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is aware of media reports regarding alleged delays in the provision of a report from the NSW Health Clinical Excellence Commission on Newmarch House. This statement confirms that the Clinical Excellence Commission report on Newmarch House was not commissioned by or for the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, and we had no part in its development or its release to Newmarch House or to Anglicare.

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has been actively engaged with the Board Chair and Facility Manager of St Basil’s Home for the Aged in Victoria (the approved provider), which operates under the auspices of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. The Commission is continuing to monitor St Basil’s and support its efforts both to return to compliance and see residents repatriated to the service. Meetings are currently being held with St Basil’s on a daily basis.

The Commission has been actively engaged with the approved provider of St Basil’s Home for the Aged in Victoria, which operates under the auspices of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. We are focusing on monitoring and supporting their efforts both to manage the outbreak and to respond to complaints from residents and families. The Commission took regulatory action in relation to the approved provider following concerns identified about the serious impact of the outbreak on the residents and staff. This included ongoing challenges identified in the provider’s response to implementing an effective outbreak response in a timely manner, and in fulfilling responsibilities to provide timely communication relating to the individual care of residents.

As the national regulator of Commonwealth-funded aged care services, the Commission’s role is to protect and enhance the safety, health, well-being and quality of life of older Australians receiving aged care. The Commission is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation in Victoria and we are using the full range of our regulatory powers to ensure that providers meet their obligations with respect to the Aged Care Quality Standards and implement all necessary steps to mitigate the risks of transmission of the virus consistent with the advice of health authorities.

As the national regulator of Commonwealth funded aged care services, the Commission’s role is to protect and enhance the safety, health, well-being and quality of life of older Australians receiving aged care. The Commission is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation in Victoria and we are using the full range of our regulatory powers to ensure that providers meet their obligations with respect to the Aged Care Quality Standards, and implement all necessary steps to mitigate the risks of transmission of the virus consistent with the advice of health authorities.

As the national regulator of Commonwealth-funded aged care services, the Commission’s role is to protect and enhance the safety, health, well-being and quality of life of older Australians receiving aged care. The recent COVID-19 outbreaks at residential aged care services in Victoria have understandably brought great anxiety to residents, family members and staff.  They serve as a reminder of the elevated risks facing aged care services during the pandemic, and reinforce the need for everyone in the aged care sector to remain alert and ready.

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is closely monitoring the situation in Victoria and providing support to aged care services in managing the increased risks of a COVID-19 outbreak.

As the national regulator of Commonwealth subsidised aged care services, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has been acutely aware of the health risk posed by COVID-19 to older Australians.  During the pandemic, we have used our broad range of regulatory functions to help manage risks to consumers and monitor the performance of aged care providers. We have also partnered with public health responders to support the management of suspected and confirmed outbreaks of COVID-19 at aged care services. 

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has now received written agreement from Anglican Community Services, the approved provider for Newmarch House, that it will undertake the actions outlined in the Notice issued by the Commission on 6 May 2020. The Notice issued yesterday to Anglican Community Services required their agreement by 5pm today (7 May 2020) to take specified actions in response to continued evidence of immediate and severe risk to the safety, health and well-being of residents at Newmarch House.

“As the national regulator of Commonwealth funded aged care services, the Commission’s role is to protect and enhance the safety, health, well-being and quality of life of older Australians receiving aged care.  The Commission is acutely aware that aged care consumers are among those who are most vulnerable to the virus and the risks it presents to people’s health and life. In the context of the Australian Health Sector Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) (released on  18 February 2020), the Commission moved quickly to focus our regulatory approach to respond to the pandemic.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the community is looking for reassurance that older people receiving aged care will be well looked after and will be kept safe. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is squarely focused on this priority. We remain on duty and determined to continue fulfilling our statutory obligations to protect the safety, health, wellbeing and quality of life of aged care consumers.

A statement from a spokesperson from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on People Care (Earle Haven) aged care facility at Nerang, QLD.