SEIU Healthcare welcomes Ontario government commitment to increase long-term care home inspections

RICHMOND HILL, ON, June 10, 2013 /CNW/ - SEIU Healthcare, Canada's largest healthcare union, welcomed today's announcement by Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews to reinstate annual inspections for long-term care facilities.

"These inspections, in order to get a true picture of what goes on in these homes, must be unannounced, surprise inspections," said Sharleen Stewart, President of SEIU Healthcare. "This is an important part of pulling back the curtain on what goes on inside nursing homes and increasing transparency and accountability. "

"Letting the CEO's of for-profit nursing home chains police themselves is like letting the fox mind the hen house, and was not working," she added, welcoming the commitment of 100 new inspectors.

"A key question we will need to answer next is: if an inspector identifies staffing shortages as part of the problem, how will these gaps be fixed? So far we have not seen a plan for ensuring we will have adequate staffing to care for growing numbers of seniors," concluded Stewart.

SEIU Healthcare has been calling on the Ontario government to develop a long-term action plan that meets the needs of a growing aging population.

About SEIU Healthcare

SEIU Healthcare, Canada's largest healthcare union, represents more than 55,000 healthcare and community services workers across Ontario.  The union's members work in hospitals, home care, nursing and retirement homes and community services throughout the province. SEIU Healthcare has a strong track record of achieving fair wages and benefits and safe working conditions for healthcare workers, supporting the training and development needs of its members, and strengthening standards in the management and delivery of patient and client care.

SOURCE: SEIU Healthcare

For more information or to arrange an interview contact:

Kyle Ferguson 
Media Relations Specialist, SEIU Healthcare
Tel: [phone] x 3123   Cell: 416-809-0699   
Email: [email protected]