Council Again on Notice for Gummun Place

THE Upper Hunter Shire Council has again been put on notice by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission for their management of the Gummun Place aged care facility in Merriwa, following the failure of the facility to meet 19 of the 44 accreditation standards.

The last audit in June 2018 only found six of the standards were not met and in March this year the facility was on notice of a sanction, where closure of the facility may be considered, if the standards were not improved. Read: Merrwia Aged Care Under Council Cloud.

The audit this year has found considerably more failings and while the facility is still accredited until September next year, they must make improvements by the end of next month.

Some of the failures at the facility, highlighted in the report included:

• standards in medication management, pain management and chemical restraint are not being met;
• care staff are not following the registered nurse directions in regard to clinical care;
• the registered nurse directions in regard to a consumers wound management have not been followed by the staff;
• consumers’ medication is not managed safely, correctly and medications are not securely stored. The schedule eight drug register is not complete as per the regulations;
• anticoagulant agents and psychotrophic medications are not managed effectively;
• staff have not demonstrated skills and knowledge in relation to clinical monitoring, anticoagulant therapy, pain monitoring, wound management and behavioural management;
• all consumers are not as free from pain as possible;
• unable to demonstrate needs of consumers with challenging behaviours are managed effectively;
• not actively pursuing continuous improvement;
• no systems in place to ensure compliance with legislation including criminal history checks of staff and volunteers at the facility, psychotrophic medication use and workplace health and safety;
• staff not having appropriate knowledge and skills to perform their roles effectively;
• Human Resources: staff are not appropriately skilled and qualified to deliver services, and
• information available to consumers and staff does not consistently reflect current legislation.

The full report by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission can be found on their website.

Related stories:

• Gummun Place – Health Assessors Monitoring Closely – September 27, 2019
• Merriwa Aged Care Under Council Cloud – March 25, 2019
• Letter: Council Not Aged Care Specialists – March 26, 2019
• Letter: Gummun Place – A Merriwa Treasure – March 28, 2019
• Editorial: Finding the Best Option for Care – March 28, 2019