Dan Tehan said he was pleased Jamie Brennan had been brought in as the interim chief, but said Lyndoch urgently needed the security of a long term boss.

"We need a long-term CEO appointed for Lyndoch and we have to make sure that during this transition period patient welfare remains the number one priority," he said.

Lyndoch board chair Sue Cassidy said Mr Brennan had spent his first week in the job getting to grips with all aspects of the crisis.

"Jamie has spent the first five days of his secondment listening, taking the time to really understand the concerns and challenges at the home," Ms Cassidy said.

The concerns have come from all sides in recent weeks, with aged care audits criticising staffing levels at Lyndoch, former staff condemning the workplace culture, resident family members raising serious questions about care, and the local state politician calling for the dismissal of the CEO and then the board, echoing a petition lodged in parliament that has more than 2000 signatures.

The latest blow came on August 16, when a dozen Warrnambool GPs sent a letter to the Lyndoch board expressing serious concerns about the organisation's workplace culture endangering staff mental health and the possible flow on effects for resident care.

Ms Cassidy said Mr Brennan had used his discussions with staff and residents over his first week to identify "key focus areas to address immediately".

One crucial "focus area" is recruiting more staff to ensure "high quality" care and the safety of residents.

Mr Brennan will be restoring an "appropriate clinical leadership structure" to support the workforce across Lyndoch's different services, after the director of nursing and a number of senior staff quit in recent months.

He will also "work closely" with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to ensure Lyndoch complies with national aged care standards, having failed more than half of the standards across two services.

Mr Brennan has three weeks remaining on his secondment from South West Healthcare, "with consideration of longer-term solutions if needed", according to SWH chief executive Craig Fraser.

Mr Tehan's call for a new permanent chief executive at Lyndoch is complicated by the fact long-term chief Doreen Power is on annual leave.

Ms Cassidy declined to elaborate on Ms Power's status or Mr Brennan's tenure beyond the short term, but said the first week had been encouraging.

"I'm already working closely with Jamie and the team and we're seeing some positive momentum. We've got lots of work to do but I'm focused on ensuring our staff have the support and resources required to deliver quality care to residents," she said.

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