The Health Minister released details regarding planned regulations to be implemented starting September 21, 2022, thus there will be no normal 30-60 day consultation period on the regulations. The government appears to have expanded the number of services for which patients may be waiting. They are planning to expand who is targeted by this legislation to include people waiting for home care and other community care as well. They have announced plans to charge patients $400 a day if they do not move out of hospitals to a place to which they do not want to go, overriding their right to consent. In Southern Ontario they have announced plans to move people up to 70 km and in Northern Ontario up to 150 km away. Very disturbingly, not one part of the Ford government’s statement gave any recognition whatsoever to the patient’s right to consent. A number of false and incorrect statements were made by the Minister that are pointed out in the press conference.
Reaction to New Regulations Forcing Patients out of Hospitals
[OHC] Grotesque, Ageist & Morally Repugnant: Our Reaction to New Regulations Forcing Patients out of Hospitals
The regulations for the new long-term care act are a violation of human rights and reeks of grotesque ageism. That’s why we held a press conference today to fight back against plans to take away the fundamental right to consent to health care for patients in hospitals. We are not having any of it.
A recording of the press conference can be viewed here (no account required): https://www.facebook.com/ontariohealth/videos/1262453651238649
The Ford government made a statement yesterday regarding the regulations for Bill 7, which was passed without public consultation at the end of August. The new law, disingenuously titled “More Beds, Better Care Act”, gives new powers to hospitals to assess patients waiting for long-term care beds in hospitals without their consent, share their personal information with an array of corporations without their consent, to fill in an application without consent and to admit them into a long-term care home without their consent.