Ontario Ombudsman to investigate pandemic oversight in long-term care homes

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

Paul Dubé, Ontario’s Ombudsman launched an investigation into the oversight of long-term care homes by the province’s Ministry of Long-Term Care and Ministry of Health during the ongoing pandemic.

The Ombudsman said he is invoking his authority to investigate on his own initiative even if no complaints are made. This is in light of the grave concerns raised by the pandemic outbreaks in long-term care homes across the province. The report last week by Canadian military personnel uncovered shocking conditions in five of these homes.

“The Canadian Armed Forces report painted a stunning portrait of the situation in long-term care during this crisis; our investigation will look at the systemic issues that led to it and will make constructive recommendations for corrective action,” the Ombudsman said. “Determining the root causes of administrative dysfunction and recommending practical solutions is what we do.”

Investigators with the Special Ombudsman Response Team, who look after the Ombudsman’s large-scale systemic investigations, will examine the ministries’ standards and policies for long-term care homes during the pandemic, as well as the efficiency of oversight mechanisms to ensure the rules are followed.

They will look at complaint handling, inspections carried out by the Ministry of Long-Term Care, emergency planning, steps taken to support long-term care homes during the pandemic crisis, data collection on coronavirus cases, rates of infection and deaths in long-term care, and communication with long-term care home residents, staff and the public.

“The pandemic has strained public services immensely, but also demonstrated how vital they are,” Mr. Dubé said. “Never has it been more important to ensure that these systems are working as they should. This is where we can help, as an independent, impartial expert in administrative systems. We are uniquely suited to investigate systemic governance issues and to propose solutions that enhance transparency, accountability, and fairness.”

The two ministries were given formal notice of the investigation. There are no dates provided for the investigation, but given the challenges of the present situation, with most public servants working remotely, it will proceed as quickly as circumstances permit.

The Ombudsman is an independent, impartial officer of the Ontario Legislature who resolves and investigates some 26,000 public complaints per year about provincial government bodies.

Anyone with information relevant to the issue of the ministries’ oversight of long-term care is asked to file a complaint online at www.ombudsman.on.ca. Complaints can also be made by email info@ombudsman.on.ca.

(Please note: Complaints about individual long-term care homes should still be made to the Patient Ombudsman at www.patientombudsman.ca.)