The aged care sector was unprepared for the coronavirus pandemic, and years of deskilling of staff contributed to the facilities' inability to properly respond, the aged care royal commission has heard.
Despite Health Minister Greg Hunt saying the sector had been "immensely prepared," neither the Commonwealth Department of Health or the aged care safety commission had developed a COVID-19 plan specifically for the sector, the commission has heard.
It also heard the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee has only made three statements specifically directed at the aged care sector, and there was a six week gap between statements on June 19 and August 3, as the disease spread through Melbourne, including aged care homes.
"There was no advice about how the sector should respond to the risk posed by aged care workers who may be COVID-19 positive yet asymptomatic, particularly those who work in multiple facilities," said Counsel Assisting Peter Rozen QC.
In a series of hearings this week, the aged care royal commission is turning its attention to the coronavirus pandemic, but Commissioner Tony Pagone has already warned that the commission doesn't have the resources to fully investigate the situation that is still unfolding in Victoria.
While the royal commission is set to hear from people who lost family members at Newmarch House in Sydney, due to the continuing situation in Victoria, Victorian outbreaks won't be included in this week's hearings and Victorian centres won't be named.
The aged care regulator hasn't investigated the circumstances around the Newmarch House or Dorothy Henderson Lodge outbreaks in Sydney, Mr Rozen said.
Almost all residents at Dorothy Henderson Lodge who tested positive were transferred to hospital, the committee heard, but residents from Newmarch House were not, with records from meetings showing NSW Health didn't want to set a "precedent" around transfers.
The pandemic "has starkly exposed all of the flaws of the aged care sector which have been highlighted during this royal commission," Mr Rozen said on Monday morning.
More than 1000 aged care residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and 168 residents have died of the disease so far, the Commission heard.
The commission is also set to explore issues around infection control expertise, access to personal protective equipment, communication with families and transfers to hospitals.
