LASA on Federal aged care support – “Government must come to the table”

Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) Acting Chief Advocate Tim Hicks says members are reporting major issues with the delivery of the Federal Government’s coronavirus supports for the sector.

“Providers are frustrated that they seem to have to work off media statements from governments rather than practical help in the deadly battle with COVID-19,” he said.

Hicks says many providers have had requests for PPE denied because they don’t have current outbreaks, while others have reported unacceptable delays.

Staffing is also an issue, as providers scramble to comply to new measures to limit the amount of staff working across multiple services.

“The Government has promised support to deal with the financial cost of ensuring no workers is worse off, and filling any staffing gaps, but we have not yet seen any detail on what those measures will actually involve, causing immense confusion and distress among providers and staff,” Mr Hicks says.

“I know of one provider who has 38 shifts over a fortnight to fill – where are these staff going to come from?”

Mr Hicks says the sector is also pushing hard for positive cases to be transferred to hospital, or locations where they can be better cared for.

“Aged care services have offered vacant sites to use as COVID-19 wards and have been turned down,” he said.

The LASA representative says while there are positive announcements, the Government needs to come to the table and work with the sector to minimise these issues.

“All of these issues mean the aged care sector, which had half of all services reporting a loss before COVID-19, is on the precipice, and government must come to the table or the consequences will be dire,” he said.