Figures obtained by the Herald Sun reveal at least 170 nursing homes failed to meet the February 28 training deadline set by the government following the devastating second wave that claimed the lives of more than 600 elderly Victorians last year.Independent investigations found substandard infection control practices were one of the main ways COVID-19 spread between workers and residents during major outbreaks in July and August. Since then, more than 90 per cent of homes have installed a dedicated worker in the role but at least 7 per cent of centres have still not acted. About one in five homes has nominated more than one person in the role. The federal Department of Health told the Herald Sun more than 3500 people had enrolled for the training through the Australasian College of Infection Prevention Control.All facilities that have failed to install and train an infection control officer as ordered to last year could now face regulatory action.“The Department of Health has written to those residential aged care providers who do not have an IPC Lead onsite and will provide this information to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission,” a department spokesman said. “The Commission will take proportionate regulatory action where concerns with providers performance against the quality standards are identified, including the provider’s response to the IPC requirements.”More than 600 Victorian facilities have completed their training.A special report by the Aged Care Royal Commission into the coronavirus outbreaks in aged care facilities pointed to lax infection control practices as one of the key problems to be addressed. Royal commissioners Tony Pagone and Lynelle Briggs made six key recommendations when they handed down their report last October. They concluded it was “deplorable” that some staff had been forced to ration gloves and masks and took aim at the five-week delay between the World Health Organisation advising health workers to wear masks and the government mandating masks for aged-care workers in mid-July.The commissioners advised the government need to mandate every home to have a trained infection control officer.tamsin.rose@news.com.au@tamsinroses
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