Jacquie Petrusma

Jacquie Petrusma MP - Member for Franklin
HEALTH SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS AMENDMENT BILL 2011 (No. 2)
Second Reading
April 12th, 2011

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Health Service Establishments Amendment Bill 2011. I note that the purpose of this bill is to make several amendments to the Health Service Establishments Act that was passed in 2006 but has not yet commenced, pending completion of the Health Service Establishments Regulations. I also note that the purpose of the Health Service Establishments Act is to repeal the Hospitals Act 1918 and implement the recommendations of the National Competition Policy review of private hospital licensing and residential aged care establishments.

I have a particular interest in residential aged care establishments as I was employed for many years in the residential aged care sector, and was involved with setting up a brand new aged care facility and its day to day operations upon opening as the clinical care coordinator. I also worked for the Federal Government in the Department of Health and Ageing in the office of Aged Care, Quality and Review where I was responsible for the investigation of complaints in residential aged-care facilities as well as assessing residential aged-care facilities' claims for funding.

I note that the act will provide a licensing regime for residential aged-care services that are not, or cease to be, in receipt of Commonwealth funding. Having visited most of the aged-care facilities in Tasmania, I am wondering if this provision will hardly apply in Tasmania, because most, if not all, residential aged-care facilities in Tasmania used to at least receive Commonwealth funding. Therefore does the minister know if there are any current residential aged-care facilities in Tasmania that this bill will apply to?

I also note that during the regulation preparation process a number of changes to the act were identified. For example, the act provides for the issue of licences for health service establishments. The secretary, in approving a licence, may impose conditions in relation to the design and construction, material alteration or extension of the buildings. I personally hope that this will lead to better design and more suitable facilities for seniors being built, especially with the aim of minimising falls risks in facilities. Seniors are entering aged-care facilities more frail than they have been in the past, therefore facilities, especially extensions, need to be built that will allow residents to walk freely but with minimal trip and slip hazards, as falling is probably the number-one health risk in aged-care facilities. It can also have the most impact on a resident's health, as a fractured hip, for example, can lead to the resident getting pneumonia, being unable to walk again in the future, or even death.

For my own interest, does the minister know whether residential aged-care facilities that are not in receipt of Commonwealth funding will still come under the Commonwealth Aged Care Act in regard to quality compliance, complaints investigation, aged-care standards and so on? I would also like to know, therefore, what level of government will oversee the care of residents in these facilities as, from having investigated quite serious and fatal incidents in aged-care facilities, monitoring and complaints investigation is vitally important to the safety and wellbeing of residents.

I note also that if a licensee carries out any material alterations or extensions without seeking prior in-principle approval, the secretary may cancel the licence if the altered establishment no longer meets the requirements of the licence. In Tasmania, where we already have a shortage of residential aged-care beds, if a residential aged-care facility does have to close, has the minister any thoughts as to how this will be managed in regard to securing a new placement for residents if the licence is cancelled?

I am also pleased to note that the private health establishment sector has been consulted on the bill, and their proposed amendments are supported. Does the minister know whether any residential aged-care facilities in Tasmania were consulted and, if so, which ones?

I am curious about why the term 'Director of Nursing' is now being used especially in regard to residential aged-care facilities? A lot of the aged-care facilities in this State now may call the equivalent of what was a director of nursing a facility manager, a facility director, chief executive officer, clinical care coordinator and so on. I found that the titles of the chief nurse at a facility were changing quite regularly, depending on the latest trend, if management at the facility had been restructured and so on. Can the minister please inform the House as to why 'Director of Nursing' was chosen to replace 'Chief Nurse', at least in regard to residential aged-care facilities.

Mr Deputy Speaker, I finally note that we will not be opposing this bill.