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Nurse adds voice to call for Royal Commission

A mid north coast registered nurse says her experiences with the aged care industry have left her disillusioned.

Angela Wallace has worked in nursing homes on the Coffs Coast and in Sydney.

She said understaffing makes it harder to look after elderly patients.

Two years ago Ms Wallace's mother died in a Coffs Coast nursing home while Ms Wallace was away for a week.

An investigation found that inadequate care lead to the an infected pressure sore which contributed to her death.

Ms Wallace said she was told the incident would lead to improved industry practices, but was later told of a similar death while she was working in Sydney.

She said better training and more staff are needed.

"These people have complex health needs," she said.

"They've got people with no skills looking after them, who aren't communicating to the ENs or registered nurses that do have the skills to pick up on anything.

"So the skills mix, understaffing, I know from experience working in nursing homes that you just don't have the number of staff, you're run off your feet."

Ms Wallace said a Royal Commission is needed to deal with problems in the aged care industry.

She said she wants to stop deaths caused by inadequate care.

"There's just no accountability at all for actions or lack of. there needs to be a Royal Commission I believe because people's stories will come out," she said.

"I just don't think I'm alone in this.

"People have got to realise that they're all going to get old. and it just doesn't happen to a certain type of person it can happen to anyone."

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