Independent experts will come to Bupa Griffith on Friday to hear from the residents, several of whom have made formal complaints about the hygiene and lack of staff.
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One of the residents The Area News spoke to described the hygiene as “horrible,” claiming that some of the residents had been left sitting in their own excrement for hours on end due to lack of staff.
Continence management was just one of the areas found lacking in a report from the Department of Health, which has sanctioned Griffith Bupa for their “critical deficiencies”.
Other problems listed by the Department of Health included poor infection control, pain management, and clinical care.
These and other problems will be discussed on Friday with workplace dispute expert Dr Penny Webster and former Victorian Health Services Commissioner Dr Beth Wilson.
They will be listening to the residents’ grievances and filing a report to Bupa.
Dr Wilson has visited other Bupa aged care homes that have been hit with sanctions, and she said the problems she encountered were “very similar” across the branches.
The problems she comes across include failure of communications, not enough staff, staff not properly qualified, complaints about laundry, food, and lack of activities.
She said residents and family members felt they were able truly speak their minds when talking to an independent expert like her.
“It’s very difficult to make complaints when you are in residential care because people fear recrimination, and I’ve found that throughout my career,” Dr Wilson said.
“That’s where elder advocates come in, and they are very useful.”
NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association acting general secretary Judith Kiedja blamed the problems on Bupa’s cuts to the number of staff.
The association released a report which found Bupa received more government funding in 2017 ($468 million in total) but paid $3 million less to employees and suppliers.
She said aged care providers across the board were not spending enough of their taxpayer dollars on staff.
“Since 1997 they’ve never had to be accountable for how they spend that money, and I think that’s an absolute outrage,” she said.
“The way the residents are being looked after is an indictment on our society.”
Bupa was contacted for comment.
Kenji Sato
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
