THE Federal government has promised a major clamp-down on the chemical and physical restraining of nursing home residents.
Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt said the practice will be better regulated and its overuse not tolerated.
The minister’s statement follows an 18-month investigation into physical and chemical restraint use and recent media reports of a 72-year-old nursing home resident who was regularly restrained and one day spent a total of 14 hours tied to his chair.
Draft changes to the regulations are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
Mr Wyatt said the new Aged Care Quality Standards, the first upgrade of standards in 20 years, will come into full force on July 1 this year.
They will include restraint guidelines.