Monday, November 2, 2020

Ontario Government Making Strides toward a Stronger Long Term Care Sector with Minimum Standard of Care

The province's November 2 announcement a step in the right direction, according to the union

Cambridge, ON—CLAC applauds Premier Doug Ford’s government for its plans to set a minimum standard of care in Ontario’s long term care (LTC) facilities, as announced earlier today.

“This is the commitment and solution that we have urgently needed for over a decade,” says Michael Reid, CLAC Ontario healthcare coordinator. “Establishing a clear definition and measure for what constitutes actual hours of care provided was long overdue, and the staged approach to getting to four hours per day is balanced and achievable.”

With today’s announcement, the province ensures that the metric of care includes only the actual hours worked by personal support workers (PSW) and nurses. Using a phased approach, it will move from 2.75 hours to 4 hours of care per day over the next 4 years.

Reid adds, “We recognize there are still many challenges ahead, including the need to convince thousands of workers to return to a profession they left due to difficult working conditions.”

The province has committed to develop an action plan before the end of year in response to the Long-Term Care Staffing Study report that was completed in August. The province also recently announced a temporary wage adjustment of $3 per hour for PSWs while signalling it recognizes the need for a more permanent fix. CLAC has called on the province to make this increase permanent for all front-line LTC workers and to eliminate the 1% annual increase cap put in place by Bill 124.

In addition, the emergency orders imposed by Bill 195 that empower employers to cancel leaves and deny vacations, even when no outbreak is present, are further eroding the health of the sector. While it is understandable that during the COVID-19 crisis the province ensures enough trained workers are available to offer care, CLAC believes that these restrictions are setting the province back in the long run. As such, the union is urging the government to amend this bill.

CLAC has also endorsed the province’s recently announced plan to permit experiential learning programs for PSWs, which will allow them to earn a wage while they acquire their credentials. Reducing the cost barrier for new workers entering the profession will be crucial as the province seeks to fill tens of thousands of new positions created by the new standard of care and the province’s commitment to build 15,000 new LTC beds.

Ontario Government Making Strides toward a Stronger Long Term Care Sector with Minimum Standard of Care

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