We know that things have been a little more chaotic than usual with the recent COVID outbreak at Yaraandoo.
 
To make matters worse, we’ve heard reports that currently there is no ICP lead on site to ensure infection control responses are being managed correctly. If this is the case, SCC are not keeping up with their responsibilities.
 
According to the Department of Health, this is what an ICP lead is supposed to look like:
 
Each residential aged care facility must appoint a nurse to be the lead person for infection prevention and control. This is an ongoing requirement.
 
An ICP lead:

• Must be a member of the nursing staff who has completed an identified IPC course
• Must be employed by and report to the provider
• Observes, assesses and reports on IPC of the service
• Helps develop procedures
• Provides advice within the service and will be a key infection control contact      
• Must work on site and be dedicated to a facility
• May have a broader role in the facility and could be an existing member of the nursing staff

We’ve written to management seeking further information about the ICP lead at Yaraandoo. While Heather Current, Deputy Executive Manager of Residential Care, acknowledged that each SCC site must appoint a nurse to be the lead person for infection control, she did not answer our questions about who is that person at Yaraandoo.

We’ll continue to sort out the infection control situation. In the meantime, if you have any concerns about handling the recent outbreak or any other infectious control issues, please let us know by giving HACSUassist a call.