Lithgow Aged Care remains in limbo with staff and residents waiting on the bureaucratic appeal process to play out.
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Board Chair and Lithgow City Councillor Stephen Lesslie said they're doing the best they can to push on with their appeal and work with the Commission but admits it isn't an easy task.
"On Wednesday we met with the Commission to work out what we're doing and we advised them that we're going to appeal the decision, which they know," he said.
"We also had a meeting with the residents to advise them that of where we are and what was happening. There was a lot of anger in the room directed at - everyone - but mostly the Commission because they didn't want to move out.
"There are people who have been there for 20 years who are unhappy about potentially moving."
He said the Commission have done their part and proceeded on and said a meeting with them was 'unsatisfactory' due to the appeal effectively preventing the Commission from commenting further.
"I advised the room that we putting in our comprehensive report. There isn't much that anyone learned except it's all part of the process that the Commission is forced to do," he said.
"At the moment it's all just pending. Where do we go?"
Mr Lesslie urged anyone that wants to support Lithgow Aged Care to write to the Federal Member or to the Board and share their personal experiences and concerns they have around the potential closure.
"The devastation of the health and wellbeing of residents and families is unjustified," he said.
"We won't know anything until we're told by the Commission about the appeal. I think they're in a hurry to close the place down. They're in a hurry to proceed because they have this April 16 deadline which if it fails means everyone has to be out.
"We're pushing on, were doing everything. It's difficult to keep morale of staff up though I believe the morale of the people is probably higher than you might expect, it's just they don't really know what's coming down the line."
The Aged Care Commission outlined its findings in a statement to the Lithgow Mercury from Ms Janet Anderson PSM, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner earlier in the week.
"The Commission has recently made a decision not to re-accredit the Lithgow Aged Care (LAC) residential service because it has failed to meet Aged Care Quality Standards and could not demonstrate the capacity to rectify the non-compliances identified by the Commission," she said.
"In December 2020, the Commission identified that there was an immediate and severe risk to the safety, health or well-being of residents at Lithgow Aged Care and imposed a sanction on the approved provider."
The sanction required the appointment of an independent advisor for six months, and provision of relevant training for all staff at the service. The Commission are continuing to monitor the service.
In January the Commission conducted a surprise audit of the site and found that its compliance has 'significantly deteriorated', failing to meet 38 of the 42 requirements under the eight Aged Care Quality Standards.
Lithgow Aged Care was informed on Thursday, February 11 of its decision not to re-accredit the service.
"In making this decision, the Commission took into account a response from the approved provider to the findings of the site audit report. The Commission also took into account the findings of the site audit, feedback from residents, the extent of non-compliance identified at the service and the provider's compliance record," Ms Anderson said.
The Commission determined that LAC hasn't met the required Aged Care Quality Standards since August 2019. The Commission says that even though they provided advice and support, LAC hasn't been able to demonstrate the ability to rectify the issues that led to the non-compliance.
Lithgow Aged Care now must apply for reconsideration of the Commission's decision to not re-accredit. Lithgow Aged Care's existing accreditation will expire on April 16.
The performance report for the site audit and decision will be published on the Commission's website when finalised.
"The Commission will continue to engage with the Department of Health and the provider about the future of this service. Residential aged care services are required to maintain accreditation to be eligible for Commonwealth funding support," Ms Anderson said.
"The Commission will continue to monitor care and services being delivered to residents at Lithgow Aged Care, including conducting unannounced onsite assessment contacts."