Date Posted: 29/04/2020
This morning, Anglicare Sydney responded to requests by some family members to visit the elderly residents at Newmarch.
Grant Millard, CEO of Anglicare Sydney said, “We would love the relatives of our residents to visit their loved ones at Newmarch House. We are allowing families of those in palliative care some access under strict controls, however, for others we simply cannot afford the risk, of further spreading COVID-19. This is a really hard decision for us to make but the consequences of a further outbreak are too awful to contemplate.
“Anglicare Sydney made the difficult decision on 23 March to lockdown all our homes for the safety and health of our residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
There have also been suggestions Anglicare Sydney has not been communicating with families. Mr Millard continued:
“Since the outbreak on Easter Sunday, we have made sure to send daily emails to families of our residents at Newmarch House.
“And for every one of our residents who are sadly COVID-19 positive, we are in regular phone contact, at least once a day, with that resident’s designated representative – the person responsible.”
“It is a legal requirement for providers to only communicate directly with the ‘person responsible’ for the resident, maintaining the choice exercised by the resident and observing privacy law.
“It is very hard, we know, when others in the families are worried about the health of their mother or father, but unfortunately, as the provider under the Act, we can only communicate directly with the person responsible.”
Anglicare Sydney continues to encourage all our resident’s representatives to keep their extended family connected to their loved ones during this terrible time for all of us.
“Newmarch House continues to manage the COVID-19 outbreak with strong support from the Commonwealth and NSW Governments.”
Media contact:
Chris Pettett
Public Affairs Manager
0429 569 278
[email protected]