(October 26, 2021)<\/p>\n
By: TBSNewsWatch.com Staff<\/p>\n
The Ontario government says it will double the number of long-term care home inspectors within the next year.<\/p>\n
Long-term Care Minister Rod Phillips announced Tuesday that $20 million has been allocated to hire 193 new inspections staff by the fall of 2023.<\/p>\n
Phillips said this will result in a ratio of one inspector for every two LTC homes, which will be the best ratio in Canada.<\/p>\n
The minister said it will ensure there are enough inspectors to proactively visit each home every year while continuing reactive inspections to address complaints and critical incidents when they occur.<\/p>\n
Some of the new inspectors will have an investigative background.<\/p>\n
Phillips said this will ensure that, for the first time, staff will have the skills and certification needed to investigate and lay provincial offence charges if warranted.<\/p>\n
The government also announced it is launching an improved proactive inspections program that adds to the current risk-based program of responding to complaints and critical incidents.<\/p>\n
The new program allows for direct discussion with residents to focus on their care needs as well as the home’s programs and services.<\/p>\n
The announcement precedes legislation expected to be introduced within days which will empower inspectors with stronger enforcement tools.<\/p>\n
Phillips said the government is acting on recommendations from a commission that examined conditions in the province’s long-term care homes, where thousands of residents have died or became infected during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
The Ontario Health Coalition welcomed the plan to hire inspectors with investigative skills, but said new inspectors won’t be hired until next June’s provincial election.<\/p>\n
It also described the announcement as “long on PR,” saying it explicitly does not commit to reinstating annual comprehensive inspections of all homes.<\/p>\n
“The fact that the minister pointedly did not promise a reinstatement of the in-depth surprise inspections that the Ford government cancelled after it took office is a major failure,” said Natalie Mehra, executive director of the coalition.<\/p>\n
“It neither conforms to what the Long-term Care Commission recommended nor does it serve the public interest,” she added.<\/p>\n