Serious issues of continuing non-compliance at Toronto's Figtree Point aged care

A member of staff who recently resigned from her job at the 75-bed nursing home, one of three run by Hunter Valley Care Pty Ltd, said it broke her heart to walk away from residents, many of whom she has known for years.

The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said staff were forced to leave people waiting for assistance which sometimes meant they were left "laying in their own excrement".

Residents were sometimes put to bed early due to staff shortages, and nurses were "run off their feet", forced to do laundry and serve food on the weekends when they should be focused on their nursing role, the source said. Meanwhile the high turnover of staff meant that young people were employed who "will not clean up after an older person".

Other problems included maintenance issues which have been left unaddressed, she said.

The most recent site audit conducted in February by the aged care watchdog, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Committee, found that while the response from management about issues raised demonstrated "appropriate measures" had been identified and were being taken to remediate non-compliance at the service, it was nonetheless non-compliant with regard to the first of eight standards, which relates to consumer dignity and choice.

In the associated report, the assessment team said they were told that as a result of no laundry staff on the weekends, some residents ran out of clean clothing such as singlets to give additional warmth. As a result, "staff said they wrap consumers in a blanket to keep them warm".

"Staff advised the assessment team they are aware consumers are waiting long periods of time to receive assistance which can result in them being incontinent," the report also says.

"Staff indicated having only two staff covering 21 consumers over two levels can be difficult to manage consumers' needs in a timely manner."

Non-compliance with regard to consumer dignity and choice was also formerly raised following an earlier site audit, conducted at the end of May, 2022, the report said. Issues of non-compliance first identified at that time and still found to be sub-par included call bells not working on a consistent basis.

"Consumers, staff and management advised the assessment team the call bell system continues to be ineffective, resulting in staff not always being aware that a call bell has been used by a consumer ... they struggle to hear the call bells sounding when they are attending to another consumer ... and are unable to see the call bell monitor in certain areas within the service."

Other issues at the facility are highlighted in a report card published on the My Aged Care website. They include that all of the residents living at the nursing home experienced unplanned weight loss, compared to the national average of 60 per cent.

Unplanned weight loss is a quality measure reported due to the serious health issues it can cause such as hip fractures, poor wound healing, malnutrition and lower quality of life.

Residents there were also significantly more likely to experience one or more falls - 60 per cent of residents, which is 28 per cent above the national average, and 35 per cent had experienced a major injury from a fall, one third higher than the national average.

Fig Tree Point scores a two out of five star rating on My Aged Care, based on in its performance in compliance, quality measures, residents' experience and staffing, meaning improvement is needed, which was most recently updated on May 2.

It various scored three out of five stars for compliance, which is "acceptable", one for quality measures, which means "significant improvement needed", three for residents' experience and two for staffing.

The home is advertised as offering 24-hour nursing care with a 'person-centred approach' where "every person is a valued individual in their own right, worthy of respect and deserving of the means to live their life as they please."

The Newcastle Herald has sought comment from Fig Tree Point Aged Care management, directing inquiries to the managing director of Hunter valley Care, Malcolm Proctor.

According to the website, Hunter Valley Care has delivered aged care for more than 40 years and currently runs three facilities in the Hunter region, which include Amaroo Aged Care Facility at Charlestown, and Waterview Aged Care Facility at Teralba.

The Charlestown facility was found to be compliant across all eight standards at the most recent site audit conducted in February, with a three out of five 'acceptable star rating from My Aged Care.

The most recent audit conducted at the Teralba facility in August last year found non-compliance in five out of eight standards. Areas identified for improvement included all seven requirements under the third standard relating to personal and clinical care.

The assessment team identified deficits in the management of high impact and high prevalence risks associated with the care of five residents including falls management, behaviour management, diabetes management and restrictive practices.

Ongoing gaps in the standard of care at Hunter aged care facilities, and the identification of new ones, have put nearly 40 services on the watchdog's non-compliance register.

There are 36 facilities in the region, taking in the Central Coast, Hunter, and Taree, named on the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission's non-compliance register for 1 July, 2022, to April 30, 2023.

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