A daughter whose mother died from Covid at an aged care facility claims that grieving families who lost loved ones there are still chasing an apology four years later.
Joyce Parkers mother, Alice Bacon, 93, was the 100th person in Australia to die from Covid after an outbreak of the virus at Newmarch House near Penrith in Sydneys west in April 2020.
More than 70 residents and employees tested positive to Covid after a staff member worked for six days with mild respiratory symptoms.
Nineteen elderly residents died at the facility over a two month period, prompting many of their families to launch a class action against the nursing home operator Anglicare.
It was confirmed on Monday that those families will get a payout as part of a confidential legal settlement.
Four years on, Ms Parker has revealed that families yet to receive an apology.
Anglicare - all they had to do is say sorry, we didnt handle it correctly, Ms Parker told Nine News.
When asked if the organisation had taken ownership of what happened, she replied: Never. Never.
Alice Bacon (pictured) became the 100th person in Australia to die from Covid after contracting the virus in her nursing home, Anglicares Newmarch House in western Sydney
Alice Bacons daughter, Joyce Parker (pictured), said Anglicare have not said sorry to the families who died from Covid four years ago
Anglicare later issued a statement to Nine News, apologising to the families involved.
Mark Fahey was the lead plaintiff in the class action against Anglicare Sydney and the Nepean-Blue Mountains Local Health District, after his mother Ann, 76, became the 14th resident of the Newmarch House aged care home to die of the virus in May 2020.
Her death came three weeks into an outbreak beginning that April at the facility in Sydneys west, where 19 people died from the virus.
Shine Lawyers class actions special counsel Atanaan Ilango on Monday confirmed the settlement, adding that it will hopefully provide family members a way forward as they navigate their grief.
The law firm represented relatives of six of the 19 residents who died from COVID-19 as well as others who died at the nursing home.
A previous statement of claim in the matter sought damages, interest and costs, plus "such further orders as the court considers appropriate".
The terms of the settlement have not been made public.
Nineteen residents died during Covid at Newmarch House (pictured), with some families joining a class-action suit against Anglicare and reaching a settlement
A coronial inquest into the deaths at Newmarch House took place in 2022 but is yet to deliver findings.
A spokesperson for the Nepean-Blue Mountains Local Health District said an in-principle settlement had been reached, but the terms remain confidential.
Settlements require approval from a judge and the case returns to the NSW Supreme Court on November 15.