OCSA Statement on Patient Ombudsman Report
OCSA statement on Patient Ombudsman Report
DOWNLOAD STATEMENT HERETORONTO, August 25, 2021 — On August 23, 2021, the Patient Ombudsman released a Special Report on the COVID-19 pandemic. Once again, the report highlighted that home and community care is the safest place to receive care.
The report cited that each year, approximately 800,000 people receive home and community care through Ontario’s Home and Community Care Support Services organizations and referenced a sector survey that 93% of respondents felt safe to receive home care from their home health care provider during the pandemic.
Since the pandemic began, the home and community care sector has helped keep vulnerable Ontarians safe at home. The sector has pivoted to virtual care, when appropriate and ensured strong Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) measures to protect workers and clients. This has resulted in our sector having the lowest rates of virus transmission in the health care system.
The report, however, does highlight areas of improvement for infection prevention and control measures and the consequences of high staff attrition rate in the sector. The COVID-19 related complaints to the Patient Ombudsman were most frequently about lack of access to adequate and consistent levels of care that was often related to worker shortages, primarily personal support workers (PSWs).
Staffing in home and community care is in crisis. Front-line staff including PSWs in home and community care are the lowest paid in the health system. This has led many to leave their jobs in home and community care in order to work in other health sectors that are better compensated, creating devastating staff shortages. Home and community care workers need immediate wage parity with other health sectors in order to enable them to keep vulnerable Ontarians receiving care at home safe.
About OCSA
Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) represents close to 230 not-for-profit organizations that provide home care and community support services that help seniors and people with disabilities live independently in their own homes and communities for as long as possible.
These compassionate and cost-effective services improve quality of life and prevent unnecessary hospitalizations, emergency room visits and premature institutionalization. They are the key to a sustainable health care system for Ontario. For more information, visit http://www.ocsa.on.ca
and https://twitter.com/OCSAtweets.
To arrange an interview and more information please contact:
Eric Mariglia
Manager of Policy, Government and Stakeholder Relations
Ontario Community Support Association
416-256-3010 ext. 227
eric.mariglia@ocsa.on.ca
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