Latest news with #UPSE
CBC
09-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Province moving ahead with plan to add more long-term care beds, health minister says
P.E.I.'s health minister says the province is ready to move forward with a plan to expand long-term care beds on the Island. In the legislature Tuesday, Minister of Health and Wellness Mark McLane said a tender has been issued to add 50 new private long-term care beds. Such a commitment includes ensuring there's enough staff in a facility to provide care to the patient in that bed. McLane was answering Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly, who wanted to know the status of a previously cancelled tender for 175 private beds. That request for proposals was cancelled almost a year ago. "You had an RFP out for 175 beds that was cancelled. We're waiting for that to be reissued. Minister, where is the RFP for 175 long-term care beds?" McNeilly asked during question period. McLane responded: "We will post that RFP when the other 50-bed RFP closes. We don't want them out in the market at the same time. It will be posted the next day." The current tender for 50 beds is set to close on Thursday. McNeilly then asked for a timeline on when those beds might be available. McLane said that when the province added 50 beds last year, some opened within 30 to 60 days, but others required more time for capital improvements to facilities and certification to ensure they met the necessary long-term care specifications. "So each situation is different," he said. In the throne speech opening the spring session of the legislature two weeks ago, the Rob Lantz government said it would add and fund 50 more beds in public long-term care homes and 175 beds in private facilities. The issue affects more than just seniors waiting for a long-term care bed. During a hearing in February 2024, MLAs were told that 14 per cent of beds in Island hospitals were being occupied by patients waiting for long-term care, so other kinds of patients can't be admitted for hospital care. Concerns raised over placement policy McNeilly also raised concerns about the province's first-available-bed policy. It means that if a suitable bed is not available in a senior's first choice for a care home, that person will be asked to move to the first available bed anywhere in the system. If they decline that bed while waiting in hospital, the hospital may proceed with discharging them without a care bed in place. Home-care program raising concerns with P.E.I. union about health-care privatization, cost 6 days ago Duration 2:18 The P.E.I. Union of Public Sector Employees says a home-care program seems to be millions of dollars over budget. It provides seniors with funding for private support at home so that they can delay going into long-term care. But that's not sitting well with UPSE. CBC's Sheehan Desjardins explains. McNeilly said the policy is affecting Islanders, especially those in rural areas, where elderly couples are being separated and families are struggling to visit loved ones due to long travel distances. "That's cold, that's clinical and it's cruel. This government created the long-term care backlog, yet Island families are being punished and separated for your lack of planning," he said. The Liberal MLA called on the province to commit to reviewing the policy. In response, McLane said the policy is consistent with those of other provinces. He noted that seniors who have accepted an existing bed but want to move closer to their families will get preferential treatment when a local bed later becomes available. He also pointed to existing home care supports that allow seniors to stay in their own home longer and remain closer to family. One such support is the Self-Managed Care Program, which currently supports about 2,700 clients, compared to 4,500 last year. There is also the At Home Caregiver Benefit program, which provides financial assistance to Islanders needing a level of care that would otherwise require long-term care, allowing them to remain in their own homes and compensating their primary caregivers. The program is supporting about 300 families, the minister said. "We are supporting seniors in P.E.I., they want to stay at home... as long as possible, safely and with the support from both... those programs," McLane said.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Home-care program thought to be $5.6M over budget highlights P.E.I. union's privatization fears
The P.E.I. Union of Public Sector Employees is raising concerns about a home-care program that it says is an example of health-care privatization — and seems to be millions of dollars over budget. It's called the Self-Managed Care Program. According to a Health P.E.I. client handbook obtained by UPSE, it's designed to provide funding for support at home for seniors and other people with serious health issues who might otherwise be going into long-term care. That raises a red flag with UPSE executive director Jason Rendell. "I think that's a prime example of privatization," he told CBC News. "This was an existing public service that was offered through the home-care support program ... In addition to that, the individuals that actually work underneath home care, which [are] our members, are being advised that they ... can't work for these private entities, therefore taking our work away." Finding out about the program is challenging too, he said. "There's nothing on the website," he said. "The biggest concern, basically, would be the quality of care that people are getting... We just feel that the service should be provided through the public [system], where again, I said before, there's accountability, transparency and trained, quality care." In a statement to CBC News, Health P.E.I. said it is 'increasing its investment in staffing for home care.' (Sheehan Desjardins/CBC News) In a statement to CBC News, Health P.E.I. said the program is a pilot meant to "complement the suite of programs helping Islanders who are eligible for long-term care stay in their home as long as possible." The agency said seniors and other people with serious health issues can get money for respite and personal care from relatives not living at the same address, from friends or from private-hire care supports. "It also allows clients to decide for themselves the nature and timing of care that suits them — even in the evenings and overnight hours when home care isn't available," said the statement. There just appears that there's a trend moving toward privatization — and it's concerning for unions as a whole. — Jason Rendell In January 2025, the union filed a freedom of information request with Health P.E.I. seeking information about the program. The information provided by Health P.E.I. says the "forecasted spending for the Self-Managed Care Program for the [fiscal year] 2024- 2025 is $350,000." However, another document with information taken from Health P.E.I.'s third-quarter forecast for 2024-2025 says the "forecasted spending for the Self-Managed Care Program and the Long-Term Care at Home Program for the [fiscal year] 2024-2025 is $6,015,941." In an email to CBC News, Health P.E.I. said those numbers are estimates, since the final expenditures will not be available until about mid-April. UPSE points out in its news release that this money could have been used elsewhere. For example, it said, had that money been invested into P.E.I.'s publicly funded home-care program, more than 100 full-time, trained home-support workers could have been hired. Home-care programs supported The Island has previously struggled with a shortage of beds in long-term care facilities, both in the government system and in the publicly supported private system. Because of that, seniors have occasionally ended up waiting in hospital beds, which are in short supply too. Health P.E.I. said demand for the pilot project has been very high, and home care is playing an important role in helping to ease the demand for long-term care beds. The highly skilled staff of the Provincial Home Care Program are an important part of the team helping Islanders age at home. The Self-Managed Care Program in no way diminishes or replaces their valuable contribution. — Health P.E.I. "More than a quarter of clients were approved to the Self-Managed Care Program to facilitate hospital discharge, contributing to improved system access and flow while promoting patient and family-centred care," the statement said. UPSE also supports Island residents being able to age in their homes, if possible. That's not only because it can be better for the health-care system, the union said, but also because it can be more comfortable for the seniors themselves. Where the two organizations differ is on who should be able to deliver that service: Private employees, public ones, or both? "The highly skilled staff of the Provincial Home Care Program are an important part of the team helping Islanders age at home," said Health P.E.I. "The Self-Managed Care Program in no way diminishes or replaces their valuable contribution." But UPSE said it worries that continuing down what it calls a "privatization path" will create a two-tiered health system that only some people can access. "Only thing that we're advocating for would be for individuals to be cared for through the public service," said Rendell. "There just appears that there's a trend moving toward privatization — and it's concerning for unions as a whole."
CBC
03-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Home-care program thought to be $5.6M over budget highlights P.E.I. union's privatization fears
The P.E.I. Union of Public Sector Employees is raising concerns about a home-care program that it says is an example of health-care privatization — and seems to be millions of dollars over budget. It's called the Self-Managed Care Program. According to a Health P.E.I. client handbook obtained by UPSE, it's designed to provide funding for support at home for seniors and other people with serious health issues who might otherwise be going into long-term care. That raises a red flag with UPSE executive director Jason Rendell. "I think that's a prime example of privatization," he told CBC News. "This was an existing public service that was offered through the home-care support program ... In addition to that, the individuals that actually work underneath home care, which [are] our members, are being advised that they ... can't work for these private entities, therefore taking our work away." Finding out about the program is challenging too, he said. "There's nothing on the website," he said. "The biggest concern, basically, would be the quality of care that people are getting... We just feel that the service should be provided through the public [system], where again, I said before, there's accountability, transparency and trained, quality care." In a statement to CBC News, Health P.E.I. said the program is a pilot meant to "complement the suite of programs helping Islanders who are eligible for long-term care stay in their home as long as possible." The agency said seniors and other people with serious health issues can get money for respite and personal care from relatives not living at the same address, from friends or from private-hire care supports. "It also allows clients to decide for themselves the nature and timing of care that suits them — even in the evenings and overnight hours when home care isn't available," said the statement. There just appears that there's a trend moving toward privatization — and it's concerning for unions as a whole. — Jason Rendell In January 2025, the union filed a freedom of information request with Health P.E.I. seeking information about the program. The information provided by Health P.E.I. says the "forecasted spending for the Self-Managed Care Program for the [fiscal year] 2024- 2025 is $350,000." However, another document with information taken from Health P.E.I.'s third-quarter forecast for 2024-2025 says the "forecasted spending for the Self-Managed Care Program and the Long-Term Care at Home Program for the [fiscal year] 2024-2025 is $6,015,941." In an email to CBC News, Health P.E.I. said those numbers are estimates, since the final expenditures will not be available until about mid-April. UPSE points out in its news release that this money could have been used elsewhere. For example, it said, had that money been invested into P.E.I.'s publicly funded home-care program, more than 100 full-time, trained home-support workers could have been hired. Home-care programs supported The Island has previously struggled with a shortage of beds in long-term care facilities, both in the government system and in the publicly supported private system. Because of that, seniors have occasionally ended up waiting in hospital beds, which are in short supply too. Health P.E.I. said demand for the pilot project has been very high, and home care is playing an important role in helping to ease the demand for long-term care beds. The highly skilled staff of the Provincial Home Care Program are an important part of the team helping Islanders age at home. The Self-Managed Care Program in no way diminishes or replaces their valuable contribution. "More than a quarter of clients were approved to the Self-Managed Care Program to facilitate hospital discharge, contributing to improved system access and flow while promoting patient and family-centred care," the statement said. UPSE also supports Island residents being able to age in their homes, if possible. That's not only because it can be better for the health-care system, the union said, but also because it can be more comfortable for the seniors themselves. Where the two organizations differ is on who should be able to deliver that service: Private employees, public ones, or both? "The highly skilled staff of the Provincial Home Care Program are an important part of the team helping Islanders age at home," said Health P.E.I. "The Self-Managed Care Program in no way diminishes or replaces their valuable contribution." But UPSE said it worries that continuing down what it calls a "privatization path" will create a two-tiered health system that only some people can access. "Only thing that we're advocating for would be for individuals to be cared for through the public service," said Rendell. "There just appears that there's a trend moving toward privatization — and it's concerning for unions as a whole."
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Home-care program thought to be $5.6M over budget highlights P.E.I. union's privatization fears
The P.E.I. Union of Public Sector Employees is raising concerns about a home-care program that it says is an example of health-care privatization — and seems to be millions of dollars over budget. It's called the Self-Managed Care Program. According to a Health P.E.I. client handbook obtained by UPSE, it's designed to provide funding for support at home for seniors and other people with serious health issues who might otherwise be going into long-term care. That raises a red flag with UPSE executive director Jason Rendell. "I think that's a prime example of privatization," he told CBC News. "This was an existing public service that was offered through the home-care support program ... In addition to that, the individuals that actually work underneath home care, which [are] our members, are being advised that they ... can't work for these private entities, therefore taking our work away." Finding out about the program is challenging too, he said. "There's nothing on the website," he said. "The biggest concern, basically, would be the quality of care that people are getting... We just feel that the service should be provided through the public [system], where again, I said before, there's accountability, transparency and trained, quality care." In a statement to CBC News, Health P.E.I. said it is 'increasing its investment in staffing for home care.' (Sheehan Desjardins/CBC News) In a statement to CBC News, Health P.E.I. said the program is a pilot meant to "complement the suite of programs helping Islanders who are eligible for long-term care stay in their home as long as possible." The agency said seniors and other people with serious health issues can get money for respite and personal care from relatives not living at the same address, from friends or from private-hire care supports. "It also allows clients to decide for themselves the nature and timing of care that suits them — even in the evenings and overnight hours when home care isn't available," said the statement. There just appears that there's a trend moving toward privatization — and it's concerning for unions as a whole. — Jason Rendell In January 2025, the union filed a freedom of information request with Health P.E.I. seeking information about the program. The information provided by Health P.E.I. says the "forecasted spending for the Self-Managed Care Program for the [fiscal year] 2024- 2025 is $350,000." However, another document with information taken from Health P.E.I.'s third-quarter forecast for 2024-2025 says the "forecasted spending for the Self-Managed Care Program and the Long-Term Care at Home Program for the [fiscal year] 2024-2025 is $6,015,941." In an email to CBC News, Health P.E.I. said those numbers are estimates, since the final expenditures will not be available until about mid-April. UPSE points out in its news release that this money could have been used elsewhere. For example, it said, had that money been invested into P.E.I.'s publicly funded home-care program, more than 100 full-time, trained home-support workers could have been hired. Home-care programs supported The Island has previously struggled with a shortage of beds in long-term care facilities, both in the government system and in the publicly supported private system. Because of that, seniors have occasionally ended up waiting in hospital beds, which are in short supply too. Health P.E.I. said demand for the pilot project has been very high, and home care is playing an important role in helping to ease the demand for long-term care beds. The highly skilled staff of the Provincial Home Care Program are an important part of the team helping Islanders age at home. The Self-Managed Care Program in no way diminishes or replaces their valuable contribution. — Health P.E.I. "More than a quarter of clients were approved to the Self-Managed Care Program to facilitate hospital discharge, contributing to improved system access and flow while promoting patient and family-centred care," the statement said. UPSE also supports Island residents being able to age in their homes, if possible. That's not only because it can be better for the health-care system, the union said, but also because it can be more comfortable for the seniors themselves. Where the two organizations differ is on who should be able to deliver that service: Private employees, public ones, or both? "The highly skilled staff of the Provincial Home Care Program are an important part of the team helping Islanders age at home," said Health P.E.I. "The Self-Managed Care Program in no way diminishes or replaces their valuable contribution." But UPSE said it worries that continuing down what it calls a "privatization path" will create a two-tiered health system that only some people can access. "Only thing that we're advocating for would be for individuals to be cared for through the public service," said Rendell. "There just appears that there's a trend moving toward privatization — and it's concerning for unions as a whole."
