Call the HACSU Helpline
1300 88 00 32

more info

Winter 2004

Cutting Services to aged Tasmanians

When the aged care issue hit the headlines a year or so ago, all the focus was on that kerosene bath a resident was subjected to. It was portrayed as an industry where things were hidden away, where rogue employers needed to be watched.

Whilst this is an issue, and there are rogue employers who will get away with what they can, the problem is much more systemic.

The problem is that right across the system there are now not enough hours to provide the basics in care, such as cleaning and feeding, let alone provide the sort of quality care that allows residents to interact with their carers.

HACSU recently did an analysis of a nursing home that is undergoing restructuring.

We wanted to clearly show what cleaning hours, food service and carer hours are being provided for each resident and the impacts of proposed cuts.

We have not named this facility because that would be unfair. Most nursing homes across Tasmania are just the same.

Here's what we found.
BARE BONES CARE
There were 130 residents in the facility, with an average RCS classification of 2.4.

CARE HOURS

The existing care hours allowed for 59 minutes per resident per 8 hour shift.

After the restructure proposed hours per resident only allowed for 48 minutes per shift. In this time carers had to feed, provide hygiene, bathing and showering, medication, therapy and activities.

That's more than 20% increase in workload for workers!

And the pertinent question posed was, what attention were residents getting in the other 7 hours and 12 minutes of the shift?

CLEANING FACILITY HOURS

Existing hours per resident was 12 minutes per 8 hour shift.

After restructure proposed hours per resident was 9.3 minutes per 8 hour shift.

There was 26 cleaning hours per day allocated to clean 63 bathrooms, 110 residents rooms, 8 lounge/dining rooms, 10 office areas, 24 other rooms, including drug rooms, linen rooms, pan rooms etc.

This is nearly a 30% increase in workload!

The question posed was, what happens when the areas that don't get cleaned get really filthy?

CATERING

Existing hours per resident was 24 minutes per 8 hour shift.

After restructure proposed hours per resident was 17.4 minutes per shift. (This means 5.8 minutes per resident per meal, not including morning and afternoon tea)

This is a 35% increase in workload for staff.

These figures are remarkable for two reasons.

Firstly, for just how little time residents are getting in core services, and secondly, how much extra workload members are having lumped on them during restructures.

Under the restructure proposed hours for meals per resident was 17.4 minutes per shift.

This means 5.8 minutes per resident per meal, not including morning and afternoon tea.

This is a 35% increase in workload for staff.

"After the restructure, everyone wanted to give it 100%, to say that we gave it a go. But the workload is just horrific."

Eating time isn't kick back and enjoy it time. It's served, gobbled and gone. If you wanted more, well who can remember Oliver Twist?

Under the restructure proposed hours per resident allowed for 48 minutes per shift.

In this time carers had to feed, provide hygiene, bathing and showering, medication, therapy and activities.