Yesterday, Morrison referred to the Australian Health Sector Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) as part of the government's "comprehensive plan" for aged care.
The phrase "aged care" only occurs in this document 20 times. Here they are:
#auspol #agedcarerc
The phrase "aged care" only occurs in this document 20 times. Here they are:
#auspol #agedcarerc
1. Aged care lumped into a list of groups that may require special strategies. 
2. Aged care mentioned as an area that might be "stretched to capacity" in the case of wide spread.
3. Mention of existing communicable disease arrangements for aged care.
4. Aged care mentioned as an area that will "need planning." No detail about what type of planning, and by whom.
5. Mention that the federal government "will also be responsible" for residential aged care.
6. Mention that state governments will "establish systems to improve the safety and security" of people in aged care. Absolutely no detail whatsoever on what those "systems" might entail.
7. Vague mention of "other stakeholders" who will "implement protocols and procedures" to protect aged care residents. Again, zero detail on which protocols or procedures.
8. A mention that the federal government will distribute "tailored information" to aged care and other residential facilities. No detail on what information.
9. Mention of aged care peak bodies.
10. Mention that communication with "aged care communities" is a priority, and another mention of peak bodies.
11. Decalaration that the Dept of Health with "work closely" with aged care providers. Again, no detail on what the Dept will do, or what the timeline will be for this work.
12. Brief mention of the importance of encouraging advance planning directives for aged care residents - in a table that is about public health management more generally, not in the specific context of aged care. This is the single most actionable item in the document.
13. Mention that there will be "coordinated whole-of-government messaging" to aged care sector.
14. Inclusion of the "aged care peak bodies" in a glossary at the end of the document.
And thus concludes the roundup of every single mention of aged care in the entire document.
There is nothing actionable here. Aged care is briefly mentioned a handful of times, mostly in lists of other vulnerable groups.
No specific plans for aged care. #auspol #agedcarerc
There is nothing actionable here. Aged care is briefly mentioned a handful of times, mostly in lists of other vulnerable groups.
No specific plans for aged care. #auspol #agedcarerc
And this is the second half of the government’s “comprehensive” aged care “plan”: the CDNA guidelines directed at individual nursing homes.
