Under-fire care home operator faced 22 complaints

THE Government logged 22 complaints about Earle Haven nursing home operator People Care in 18 months prior to its aged care wing’s chaotic closure.

The Federal Government also confirmed the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission had inspected the underfire nursing home just two weeks prior to the aged care wing’s mass exodus on July 11.

It involved emergency services being called in at the time and has left more than 70 frail and elderly residents without a home.

Despite the number of complaints and the early warning signs alleged by former staff and residents, the Federal Aged Care and Senior Australians Minister Richard Colbeck told the Senate yesterday there was no prior knowledge of an impending contract breakdown.

Responding to questions put to him during question time in the senate yesterday, the Minister also said he was unaware that the global director of HelpStreet, the nursing contractor for Earle Haven, had been banned from managing companies by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

“As the events for the 11th of July unfolded I did become aware of those matters, I wasn’t previously aware of the matters of which you raised with respect to the subcontracting arrangements,” Senator Colbeck said.

“It is those sorts of issues that I want to get the answers to.”

Queensland Labor Senator Murray Watt also questioned why the nursing home was allowed to continue to run given its history of sanctions in 2007, 2016 and 2017 and noncompliance concerns identified in 2007, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2017.

“The agency went in and corrective action was taken to resolve the issues then the sanctions process was completed, that is what happens in all circumstances where there are issues found in all aged care facilities in Australia,” Senator Colbeck told the senate.

“That is actually how a quality system works.”

The last accreditation of the facility took place in September 2017.

One noncompliance was identified and then rectified at the time.

The centre was then re-accredited for a period of three years to December 2020.

Residents removed from the home two weeks ago remain in emergency accommodation, and have been given no estimate of when ongoing investigations into the matter will be completed.