industry & reform
held to inform family members of the
state of the home during the outbreak.
When he did appear to talk with family
members they accused him of reading
from a prepared script.
WHO WATCHES THE WATCHMEN?
The Aged Care Quality and Safety
Commission and its leader Janet Anderson
did eventually step in to try and stem
the unfolding disaster, appointing an
independent advisor to oversee the
recovery efforts.
However, Anderson was admonished
for appointing a former investment banker
with little aged care experience and no
clinical training or qualifications.
“The approval of the appointment by the
regulator is just yet another symptom of
the sector,” Annie Butler said.
“The regulator themselves doesn’t appear
to understand what’s fully required when
you’re in the midst of a global pandemic
that’s threatening people’s health.
“You need a health response. You need a
health expert. Not a financial expert.”
Anderson went on to tell families in a
meeting, held over Zoom, that she found
“no profound failure” in the handling of the
outbreak at Newmarch.
Anderson would not appear on the
Four Corners episode, nor would NSW
health Minister Brad Hazzard, federal
aged care minister Richard Colbeck or
Anglicare’s Grant Millard.
In interviews during the disaster, Millard
conceded that if he had his time over
again he would make the decision to
move COVID-19 residents to hospitals
straight away.
WORSE THINGS THAN DEATH
As the Newmarch coronavirus outbreak
has been declared over, residents and
families have to try and recover physically
and mentally, while facing the loss of
friends and loved ones.
One resident who recovered from the
virus was asked if she knew how many of
her friends have passed away.
“That’s something I’ve gotta face when I
get out of my room,” she said.
“I think it’s six. It’s sad but there are
worse things than death. You come here
for a couple of days. There’s worse things
than death.”
Families of Newmarch residents now
want answers.
“Any death is horrible; any family has to
grieve. But with the poor communication
we’ve had over the last month, there has
to be an inquiry,” said Nicole Fahey, whose
grandmother died.
Mary Watson watched on as her mother
Alice died slowly, three-and-a-half weeks
after testing positive for COVID-19,
and she is angry at the treatment her
mother received.
“This virus spread like the plague in
there,” she said.
“I’m 100 per cent positive that if this
happened to young people we would have
had a whole different outcome.
“There would have been people
screaming in the streets.”
Thirty-seven residents were infected
at Newmarch house and 34 members
of staff. ■
medication lubricant
Making tablets easier to swallow
The fi rst and
only medication
lubricant available
in Australia
View more information and request samples here: www.gloup.com.au
Watch Gloup ® training video here: www.gloup.com.au/training
Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, consult your healthcare professional.
Please consult a healthcare professional in the case of moderate–severe dysphagia.
® Gloup is a registered trademark. Distributed by Mundipharma Pty Limited. FD20383-C ORBIS AU-5619 Aug 20
agedcareinsite.com.au 15