Ms ADDISON (Wendouree) (19:44): I direct my adjournment matter to the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers, and the action I seek is for him to visit my electorate of Wendouree to thank the outstanding aged-care workforce at Ballarat Health Services for the excellent job they did managing the COVID outbreak at Bill Crawford Lodge.

Ballarat Aged Care is the largest public aged-care provider in the country, with 424 beds, and there have been zero deaths and only five cases of COVID—an outstanding achievement. Two residents and three nurses were infected but all have recovered and are going well. This is because the outbreak was so well managed by infectious disease specialists, clinicians, nurses, allied health, ward assistants, cleaners and catering staff with support from staff at Jack Lonsdale Lodge.

There are many frail aged-care residents, but due to the quality clinical care, safety and compassion shown by staff they have been protected from this deadly virus. Nurse-to-patient ratios and the clinical response are critical factors in keeping patients safe throughout the COVID pandemic. The management and containment of the virus was world’s best practice. The use of PPE, screening, cleaning, separating and active testing prevented the spread to the rest of Ballarat.

Thank you to the entire BHS aged-care workforce for their efforts and everyone at Ballarat Health Services for the job they have done and the leadership they provided for our community. I am very proud of the excellent care that Ballarat Health Services aged care provides and would welcome a visit by the minister to formally recognise our hardworking and committed workforce. I look forward to the minister’s response.

Read the Minister’s response here – or for more of my contributions in Parliament, click here.