The federal government has frozen funding for new residents at a troubled Newcastle aged care facility run by Bupa after it found several failings, including the use of chemical restraint procedures.
Bupa operates more than 50 homes across Australia and had been given an exemption to continue running its Waratah facility after it was found to be noncompliant in December last year.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has since found the facility was only meeting 15 of 42 requirements and failed all eight of the commission's standards.
The Department of Health ordered Bupa Waratah to make improvements via a notice of agreement and froze government grants for any new resident for three months.
In the last financial year national spending on aged care services amounted to $7,655 per person.
The commission's assessors noted widespread concerns relating to "the management of pain, behaviour, medication, falls, weight loss, delirium, and pressure injuries".
"Assessors identified psychotropic medications weren't managed in line with best practice, with one consumer not having an authorisation for chemical restraint," the audit report read.
"Risk assessments had not been completed for consumers with restrictive practices."
The assessors also noted failings relating to maintenance.
"The assessment team observed walls, skirting boards, door frames and doors to be scratched, scraped, chipped and appear dirty.
"Windows were observed to be dirty and have cobwebs attached."
In a statement, Bupa said it was "sorry" and that it was working to mitigate the impact of "severe workforce pressures".
"Back in May and with winter coming, we paused welcoming new residents to ensure our team could focus on caring for our existing residents and families," it said.
"We are committed to rebuilding trust and in recent weeks have welcomed several new team members to our Waratah family."
Paperwork to blame, Upper Hunter home says
Further west in the Upper Hunter, the Murravale Aged Care Facility, run by Quality Care, was also found to be noncompliant in April and has had to appoint an independent advisor for six months.
The Murrurundi home failed to meet 23 of the commission's 42 requirements.
"Auditors found deficiencies in the provision of personal care and clinical care for wound management, pain management, bowel management and medication management," the audit report read.
"Wound charts were not completed for some consumers, even when wounds were identified and recorded in progress notes."
Quality Care managing director Jo Bailey said failings with paperwork were to blame.
"Unfortunately the wording of the report does not clearly outline the fact that our major deficiencies in the areas identified were around the documentation of these things as opposed to the practices," she said.
"That said, we have taken the report and the findings very seriously."
Both homes have been re-accredited and have vacancies after deciding not to accept new residents, but the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission said both would continue to be monitored.
"If at any point we assess that consumers are being placed at immediate and severe risk of harm, we will not hesitate to act urgently and without delay to protect consumers," it said.
