Australia will raise nursing home accreditation standards

Accreditation standards for the nation’snursing homes are to be toughened to improve infection control in thewake of the deaths of 10 residents of a NSW nursing home fromgastroenteritis.The Rudd Government will alsodevelop new national guidelines for dealing with norovirus — a commoncause of gastroenteritis in nursing homes — and develop a gastroawareness and prevention kit.  Ageing Minister Justine Elliot approved the moves late yesterday inresponse to the deaths at the Endeavour Nursing Home in Springwood inthe Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.  NSW Health confirmed last week that 83 residents were struck downwith diarrhoea and other painful symptoms last month. Although therewere fears contaminated food was the cause, the NSW Food Authority hasinspected the facility and found no problems.  However, NSW Health confirmed on Friday test results from a numberof ill residents revealed clostridium perfringens — a bacterium knownto cause food poisoning.

Ms Elliot told The Australian last night that there were 1825 gastroreported outbreaks last year, including 989 in nursing homes. So farthis year, 671 gastro outbreaks had been reported, 383 in aged carehomes.  “Australian nursing homes and staff provide world-class care, butthere is always room for improvement,” Ms Elliot said. “Infectioncontrol in nursing homes is a big task when one considers thatresidents are often frail, aged and vulnerable to infection.

Source/more:  The Australian, http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24021130-23289,00.html