'Full-blown negligence' inside the Anglican Care Storm Village aged care home in Taree as elderly left in agony

An "unexpected death", and torturous conditions, including residents being left in serious pain for days on end without prescribed medication, assessment, or clinical care, are some of the issues identified at Anglican Care's Storm Village in Taree.

Staff and patients are being regularly assaulted, serious illnesses such as pneumonia and COVID-19 have been missed, and residents are suffering from preventable "unstageable" pressure sores, according to documents obtained by the Newcastle Herald.

The home relies heavily on unqualified, inexperienced staff, with nearly 120 nursing and care staff shifts not filled in the four weeks leading up to January 16. That includes 41 shifts that were to be filled by enrolled and registered nursing staff.

The facility is home to 81 people. Four residents died during an Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission site audit conducted between January 17 and 24, who were described as "at end of life".

Among them was a resident who showed signs of deterioration - developing pressure sores and crying in pain for weeks leading up to her death, and going at least 40 days without pain medication. A pain review was not conducted until just two days before she died.

She was noted to have been "crying, teary or in pain" during personal care, and an investigation revealed her dressings had not been changed in over a week. She had three pressure injuries, one classified as stage 2 but photographs suggested it was "unstageable".

Another resident is described as being in significant pain since October 2022. It was "still currently not being effectively monitored or managed" by mid-January.

In another incident, a resident was described as having been in 'significant pain' since October 2022. It was "still currently not being effectively monitored or managed" by mid-January. Another person's wound was not dressed for 14 days, leading to an infection which was only identified after a family member refused to leave the premises, until or unless they took a test.

Details of yet another incident include a case of COVID-19 going unchecked for days leading up to a surgery, despite obvious symptoms. Monitoring "was not effective to identify deterioration" in the resident's condition, including while COVID positive, leading to "an unexpected death," a site audit report says.

When the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission contacted Anglican Care in December, following a "critical incident", management responded to the specific "issues, incidents, and consumers named" saying staffing was the "key reason or causative factor". However, management "were unable to demonstrate they were taking appropriate actions to address the deficits for individual consumers," the report says.

Insiders say it's hard to believe the home is "still running" in circumstances that amount to "full-blown negligence". "It's disturbing when patients are dying and they (management) can't ... meet building codes or put money into facilities to ensure the safety of their workers and consumers," said one source who wished to remain anonymous. "Week after week it's like, whats next."

The aged care watchdog has stopped just short of revoking Anglican Care's licence to operate Storm Village, putting funding for any new residents on-hold for at least three months. Management has been directed to hire an expert to oversee changes to current levels of care being delivered, which it describes as posing "an immediate and severe risk" to the safety, health and well being of residents.

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner Janet Anderson said that in such a case, 'immediate' refers to a risk that has occurred recently, is likely to occur, or will continue into the future without action, or indicates an ongoing risk that a provider has failed to resolve.

'Severe' means a risk that has, or may result in death, permanent loss of function, is life threatening, or could lead to other significant adverse outcomes.

In a media statement, Anglican Care confirmed that management had met with Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission delegates in December, and in January.

The Anglican Bishop of Newcastle, Peter Stuart; the Diocesan Chief Executive, John Barriga, and the Board were being "continuously updated on the progress".

"Anglican Care is deeply sorry that the quality of care provided at Storm Village has fallen short of the organisation's own high expectations and those of the Commission," the statement said.

"We sincerely apologise for the impact this is having on our residents, their families, and our staff. Anglican Care is fully committed to returning the valued facility to compliance."

Closing down homes at Carey Bay, Toronto, Bulahdelah, and Greenmount Gardens has been "part of a process of ensuring high quality and sustainable aged care services."

A meeting will be held at Storm Village for all residents, families and carers to "provide an opportunity for questions, concerns, and suggestions for improvement" on Tuesday, February 14.

The Storm Village crisis follows the sanctioning of Anglican Care McIntosh Court at Booragul in September, 2022, when that facility was also identified as posing "an immediate and severe risk" to the safety, health or well-being of its residents. It is understood that nursing home's service delivery has since been brought up to standard.

Commissioner Anderson said the service (Anglican Care Storm Village) would not receive government subsidies for new residents until April 30, while "the provider works to fix problems at the service for residents already living there."

"Should the provider be slow, ineffective or otherwise fail any of these undertakings or if the Commission identifies that the provider is placing residents at further risk, we will not hesitate to take further action," the Commissioner said.

"This can include revoking the provider's approval to deliver government subsidised aged care.

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