Shortfalls put lives at risk

Older people are dying sooner in aged residential care homes, the nurses union says, as a significant increase in complaints over short-staffing prompts serious concerns that basic care is being compromised.

The average length of stay has dropped dramatically to about three months. It was between 18 and 24 months about five years ago, Nurses Organisation chair Natalie Seymour said. The sector is short about 1000 nurses around the country, as an ageing population with more complex needs adds to the pressure.

‘‘We recently had a lady admitted because of carer distress. We have only just admitted her ... to have her pass away. Her family was not present,’’ she said. The shortfall means staff aren’t always able to provide basic care, which impacts a patient’s quality of life.

It is also behind a rise in complaints to the Health and Disability Commission (HDC). Ninety-five complaints were made for the first six months of this year, compared to 157 complaints last year, and 143 the year before.

Seymour said services are stretched perilously thin – the most under pressure she has seen in her 25-year career. It was not uncommon for nurses to work an 18-hour shift, sleep for six hours, then return to work – or sleep on site.

‘‘None of us want to see their loved ones having patient care compromised,’’ she said.

The Ministry of Health has been notified of 2192 instances of short-staffing, health and safety risks to patients, deaths and police investigations across aged care providers for just the first six months of this year, compared to 2794 for the whole of last year. This is up from 1843 for 2020.

The aged residential care has raised concerns about nursing shortages since mid-2021 as a result of staffing managed isolation and quarantine facilities, the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out and border closures stopping migrant nurses coming to New Zealand.

Carolyn Cooper, aged care commissioner from the office of the Health and Disability Commissioner, said the workforce is under ‘‘significant’’ pressure as a result of increasing levels of patient need. There were serious questions about the future of the workforce and the quality of care as a result.

‘‘One of the common issues seen on assessment of the more serious complaints HDC receives ... is the skills mix of staff does not always reflect the growing complexity and acuity of older people needing care,’’ she said.

Kerri Nuku, Kaiwhakahaere at the Nurses Organisation, said there had long been issues in aged residential care, but they had been exacerbated by the pandemic. Older people were dying more quickly, often because they were sicker by the time they went to the homes.

‘‘By the time they are transferred or picked up in the community and transferred from hospitals they are really quite desperately ill . . .’’

‘‘None of us want to see their loved ones having patient care compromised.’’

Nurses Organisation chair Natalie Seymour