Good idea but when?

The Green Party welcomed the Government’s report today that announced spot audits for aged care facilities which will be published on the Ministry of Health website.

“The Green Party has been calling for transparency about what is happening in aged care facilities and the introduction of spot audits is a first step. Now we need to know when these audits will start and whether they will be robust and consistent,” Green Health spokesperson Sue Kedgley said.

“Taxpayers fund aged care, and we should have the same level of transparency and accountability in the aged care sector as we have in publicly funded hospitals,” Ms Kedgley said.

Ms Kedgley said she was deeply disappointed that the Government had rejected the Health Select Committee’s recommendations on the need for pay parity for staff working in the sector, and for mandatory staff to patient ratios.

“Until staff in rest homes are paid decent wages, and there are mandatory staff to patient ratios, I predict the sector will continue to be dogged by scandals, and there will be inadequate and unsafe care for our vulnerable elderly in many rest homes around New Zealand.”

Ms Kedgley said the Green Party welcomed the Government’s decision to set up an aged residential care service review but was calling for more details on how and when it will be conducted.

“It is essential that the review isn’t a talk fest and quickly addresses the deep seated problems in the aged care sector which include lack of training, extremely high staff turnover, inadequate staffing and resourcing in many aged care facilities.

“To achieve results it is also crucial that the review includes representatives of staff working in the sector and consumers - not just industry providers and District Health Boards. Otherwise there is a risk it will just be business as usual,” said Ms Kedgley.