Care homes fail audits

VIOLENCE, malnutrition and neglect have been exposed in Queensland nursing homes, with one in seven failing government inspections in the past year.

Aged care inspectors have alerted the federal Health Department about a “serious risk’’ to residents’ safety in four homes – including two run by the Queensland Government.

Fifteen homes have failed audits in the past 12 months – including one that failed to report assaults to police, and another that neglected to “minimise skin tears and bruising’’ when restraining elderly residents.

Residents soiled themselves waiting for help to go to the toilet in a short-staffed nursing home, and five homes failed to administer medicine safely.

The Australian Aged Care Quality Agency yesterday published a damning audit of Blue Care’s Pioneer Lodge in Bundaberg, which cut its nursing staff from 24 to 16 last year.

Blue Care flunked 13 of the required 44 quality standards during last month’s spot check.