In February, Michael McCormack, the then Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, said, “I’ll do everything I can’ and that he would use the “little bit of sway” he has as deputy prime minister to ensure the future of aged care services in Harden.
Unfortunately these comments have not yielded the reopening of the Harden aged care facility.
During the early stages of 2021 and soon after the closure of the retirement village, the twin towns lost a number of valued members of the community, including loved ones and family members. Some unable to deal with their new environments when they were moved from their homes at St Lawrence Harden, to other facilities.
Today, CEO of the Cowra Retirement Village Scott Kable cited the outcomes of the 2020 Aged Care Approval Round (ACAR) results, released on Friday 30th July, as the catalyst as to why the Cowra Retirement Village had to rescind the contract to purchase the Harden facility from Southern Cross Care.
The Media Release stated that “CEO Scott Kable said he was disappointed with the outcome and wished the community well in recommissioning the facility in the future. Cowra Retirement Village Chair Ian Donges OAM commented that he was grateful to the community for their support but without the Aged Care Approvals Grant the financial risk to Cowra Retirement Village is too great and regret’s the decision taken by the board to not proceed with the purchase.”
Southern Cross care NSW and ACT CEO Helen Emerson said, “The decision was regrettable and highlights the challenging environment regional aged care providers operate in. As a not-for-profit aged care provider Southern Cross Care’s mission is delivering the best possible care for our residents.”
This comment in stark contrast to the treatment received by residents in January and February when they were told the facility would close.
She said, “Our interest in the St Lawrence facility is to see it transferred to an organisation that can operate in a safe and sustainable way. Cowra Retirement Village were well credentialed to take on St Lawrence, and it is unfortunate the government didn’t make the capital funding available.
Member For Riverina Michael McCormack went on the offensive and responded Tuesday afternoon after question time. He said, “I share the community’s disappointment in Cowra Retirement Village’s (CRV) decision to withdraw in its bid to take over the St Lawrence Aged Care facility in Harden-Murrumburrah.
“I have been fighting to save this vital service and 45 aged care beds were reinstated through the latest Aged Care Approval Round (ACAR) to the CRV which were intended for the St Lawrence facility in Harden-Murrumburrah.
“Funding through ACAR can only be allocated for capital works and fit-out purposes, regrettably, CRV required funding for the purchase of the facility from Southern Cross Care.
“The Department of Health recently offered CRV a $615,000 Business Improvement Fund grant to support it in its bid to take over the service in Harden-Murrumburrah.
“My office was advised the following from the CRV Board: ‘Our board has deemed the current business risks are too great even if we were to receive $4 m’.
McCormack went on to say “I am also aware of another local offer to purchase the St Lawrence facility.
“I will continue to work with stakeholders to pursue other avenues to save this vital service for the passionate people of the Harden-Murrumburrah community.”
It is fair to say that the value of the current facility has just gone through the roof with the announcement of 45 ‘beds’ from the recent round of ACAR. The ‘beds’ will include a mixture of both respite and dementia. These ‘beds’ now stay with the facility while Southern Cross has the ability to move the ‘old’ beds to another facility.
Details on the health.gov.au website state, the Cowra Retirement Village LTD were successful in their bid for a new service with the following information, ‘Bilyara Hostel Harden -78 Swift Place Harden NSW 2587.
The next entity to come up with $4 million to purchase the facility, will get a building no more than 10-12 years of age, it will have 45 beds, close to 45 clients, a working business model and residents clambering to take up accomodation.
Residents who sit back and take a good look at what has really happened over the last 7 months, might just view a $4 million purchase for the next buyer, as a steal!
On May 17 this year McCormack said, “The Government in the Budget last week delivered an additional $17.7 billion package of support and once-in-a-generation reform to aged care and I am determined Harden-Murrumburrah will have its fair share of quality aged care services.
“Our elderly residents in the Harden-Murrumburrah district have made the area the wonderful place it is now in which to live. They want, need and deserve the best care possible in their senior years.”
So far there’s 45 currently unusable ‘beds’ sitting in a perfectly good building going unused.
In better news the Murrumburrah Harden District Hospital at 53 Scott Street has been allocated 4 places in the ACAR allocation.
