Provider responds to sanctions proactively

The Domain Principal Group says it is cooperating fully with the Department of Health and Ageing after sanctions were imposed on one of its Queensland facilities at the weekend.

According to a government statement, the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation identified concerns with residents’ nutrition at the 120-bed Raffin Place nursing home in Calamvale.

Domain Principal’s Executive Director, Bill Summers said the continuing care of residents was the group’s “absolute focus”.

“We take the health and wellbeing of our residents very seriously and we are confident that our residents are not at risk.”

The group began to implement a response plan when it was notified about the sanctions by the department on Saturday, 13 December.

A specialist team began working onsite at Calamvale on the weekend and Domain Principal has appointed an independent nurse adviser to implement changes.

The group is in the process of contacting the family members of residents and it intends to keep them fully involved and informed.

As a result of the sanctions, the accreditation agency and the department will continue to monitor the facility and Raffin Place will not receive Commonwealth funding for any new residents for the next six months.

The sanctions will expire on 12 June, 2008.