State Member for Wallsend, Ms Sonia Hornery MP, will today move a Notice of Motion in the NSW Parliament calling on the Government to come clean on its future plans for the Wallsend Aged Care Facility.
Earlier this year, unions, staff, patients and the community raised concerns about the future of the facility, following a reduction in the number of patients. Since January 2020, the number of bed numbers had reduced from 98 down to 55.
Earlier this year, Ms Hornery spoke with Health officials about the facility having reduced numbers, ceasing respite care services and also having stopped taking undergraduate Registered Nurses on board and was advised that the reason for reduced beds numbers was COVID-19 and families not applying for entry for a loved one.
Since then it has become evident that this is completely untrue after families and staff came forward to counter the claims by Health officials.
Ms Hornery will move a Notice of Motion and trigger a debate in NSW Parliament that will force the Government to put on the public record its support for the facility or its plans to privatise or close it.
“The Wallsend community are very protective of the Wallsend Aged Care Facility, having fought to save it once before, so they are very wary about what seems to be happening to it at the moment,” said Ms Hornery.
“The Health spin doctors have tried to blame the reduction in services and bed numbers on COVID-19, but it is now evident that this is completely untrue.
“A quick check with other aged care facilities in the area will tell you that despite the last 12 months of COVID-19, people still entered aged care facilities.
“Staff and unions are concerned that the facility is being left to die a slow death, with major maintenance not being done and services being cut back, particularly respite care services.
“If the Minister or the Department are trying to close the facility with the death of a thousand cuts, they have picked the wrong facility to kill off.
“When this Notice of Motion is debated, the Government will be forced to put on the public record their support or opposition to this facility remaining open and operating properly,” Ms Hornery said.