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Follow on Google News | Churches of Christ Care to cease provision of aged care services in InjuneAfter careful consideration Churches of Christ Care has decided to cease provision of aged care services in Injune.
By: Churches of Christ Care • Declining occupancy. For some time we have been operating the facility well below capacity, and with no waiting list. • Changing requirements for care provision. The main focus of Mt Hutton Aged Care Service has been the provision of care to those who require a lower level of support, and exercise a higher level of independence. However, we are seeing a shift in community attitudes, and individual preferences, towards staying in their own homes for as long as possible and with the support of Community Aged Care providers. This is also the direction of the Federal Government under the Living Longer Living Better initiatives. As a result, people who require admission to residential care have higher level care needs. Mt Hutton is not designed to cater for this level of care. • Difficulty in attracting staff. We have gone to great lengths to attract and retain staff at Injune, however we have been unable to secure sufficient permanent staff to maintain appropriate service levels. We believe that this is due to several reasons, including the effect of mining operations on the cost of living in the Injune area. • Structural concerns and costs relating to the building. The Mt Hutton facility has been experiencing structural damage, largely due to the method of construction. The cost of remediating this damage, and ensuring the facility meets community expectations, regulatory requirements and care needs, is significant. In our decision making we were cognisant of plans to build aged care specific beds at the Injune Hospital, and of the ongoing provision of Community Aged Care by other providers. We are of the view that the local community will have ongoing access to appropriate care for seniors. At this point our main priority is to ensure that our residents are provided with support to transition to another appropriate care service. In this regard, we have not yet determined a date for closure. The closure date will be arrived at following consultation with residents, their relatives, other agencies and providers including Queensland Health. We will also support our staff to find alternative employment. It is too early to advise on any ongoing use for the building however, we will determine this through consultation with the community, and in consideration of lease conditions. For further information on matters concerning this decision please contact the aged care area manager Jennifer Kirby on 0488 760 577 or Jane Harrison on 0427 291 684. End
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