Everyone has a role in improving the quality of care in rest homes, Age Concern says.
Auditor-General Lyn Provost this week blasted the Ministry of Health for the way it monitored the rest homes, where about 34,000 old people live, saying it had known since 2004 that auditing by designated audit agencies (DAAs) was inconsistent and sometimes of a poor quality.
"Notwithstanding its recent efforts, and evidence that DAAs are improving some aspects of their work, the ministry did not respond to these problems quickly enough or with enough effect," she said in a report.
It followed a number of adverse incidents, including the closure of Palmerston North rest home Rose A Lea after an inspection found a 103-year-old woman tied to her bed with a sheet.
Age Concern chief executive Ann Martin today said a culture of respect, caring and empowerment needed to flourish in rest homes.
"Everyone has a role in improving quality, including the general public," she said.
"If you know people who live in rest homes, visit them often. If you see something wrong, tell someone."
All rest home owners needed to commit to recruiting, retaining, and properly training quality staff, and to embracing a culture of continuous quality improvement and care.
"Rest home residents need someone to look out for them, but we know that some older people have no one."
Health Minister Tony Ryall yesterday said the report identified long-standing shortcomings which the Government had started addressing when it took office.
"We are currently drafting legislation for next year which will require rest home audit agencies to be audited themselves, and accredited by an international organisation," he said.
"In the meantime we have already arranged for the Joint Australian and New Zealand Accreditation Agency to begin accrediting DAAs on a voluntary basis."
The legislation would require mandatory reporting of significant health care incidents in rest homes, Mr Ryall said.
