Ontario’s patient ombudsman launches long-term care probe

TORONTO Ontario officials have launched four separate probes into the long-term care system amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen more than 1,600 residents die and the military and hospitals called in.

Ontario’s patient ombudsman launched an investigation into long-term care Tuesday, a day after a similar probe was launched by the provincial ombudsman. Meanwhile, the province took over management at an eighth long-term care home struggling with an outbreak.

The patient ombudsman’s office had asked staff, family members, caregivers and residents to contact them with concerns about the safety of staff and residents.

“Complaints from residents, family members and whistleblowers pointed to a crisis in Ontario’s long-term care homes,” the office said in a statement.

This investigation will be specific to the experiences of residents and caregivers at long-term care homes with COVID -19 outbreaks, and separate from an Ontario ombudsman investigation, the patient ombudsman’s office said.

The role of patient ombudsman has been vacant for two years, since now-health Minister Christine Elliott

quit to return to politics.

The Ontario ombudsman investigation will look at systemic aspects of long-term care including complaint handling, emergency planning, data collection, infection and death rates and communication with residents, staff and the public.

Ombudsman Paul Dube said he started his probe because of what he read in a recent military report on five long-term care homes in Ontario.

The province called in military assistance for five homes dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks in April. Members said they observed cockroach infestations, aggressive feeding that caused choking, bleeding infections, and residents crying for help for hours.

The government has also announced an independent commission into long-term care. Premier Doug Ford has said he hopes it will be established in July.

Ontario’s auditor general in May began an audit on the province’s outbreak planning and emergency preparedness, including longterm care. Auditor Bonnie Lysyk said in an interview that she is also following up on a number of other long-term care issues that her office has investigated before, including inspections.

The Canadian Press