The BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) has calling on the provincial government to consult stakeholders on the Residents Bill of Rights which was introduced by the Minister of Healthy Living in the Legislature last week.
In addition to seniors in residential and long term care, the Bill will apply to mental health, addiction, community living, hospice, acquired brain injury facilities and private and extended care hospitals regulated under the Hospital Act. It will not apply to assisted living facilities. It will be added to the Community Care and Assisted Living Act.
"While we support the establishment of a Bill of Rights for residents, we are again concerned that the government has moved forward without any substantial consultation with care providers, seniors and other stakeholders," said Ed Helfrich, BCCPA CEO. "This approach does not reflect the complex nature of the senior's care partnership and does not take into account the valuable perspectives of care providers and family councils in communities across BC."
BCCPA has contacted the Minister of Healthy Living requesting a meeting to confirm her commitment to consultation and explore ways to make the Bill more meaningful in advance of the Ombudsperson's upcoming report on the state of senior's care in BC. Among other things, the BCCPA has asked the Ministry to consider a number of improvements to the Bill including:
- full disclosure of funding rates for all residential care facilities in BC to promote transparency and help families/residents understand funding levels
- guarantee of adequate funding levels to ensure quality care and increased staffing rates
- responsibilities of residents to treat their fellow residents, staff, visitors and volunteers with dignity and respect
- commitment to minimize waiting times for senior's care
"Much of the proposed Bill duplicates existing requirements in the licensing and accreditation process," said BCCPA President Christine Nidd. "If government is committed to using the Bill to improve quality of care, they should be considering meaningful measures related to transparency and funding levels. The best way to enhance the dignity of seniors and the quality of their care is to ensure the system is adequately funded."
"There is a tremendous amount of experience and good will among BC care providers that can deliver substantial benefits to improve the health and safety of residents and staff," concluded Mr. Helfrich. "We hope the province will renew the senior's care partnership and work with care providers to promote transparency, attack inefficiency and develop collaborative plans to address emerging cost pressures that are impacting the quality of care for residents."
