National continuing care program needed.
from the Canadian Union of Public Employees
Canadians need a national continuing care program, with dedicated transfers tied to Canada Health Act standards, minimum staffing levels, and more public and non-profit delivery, says CUPE.
In the absence of federal standards, continuing care (home/community and residential) is a patchwork of programs, according to a recent CUPE position paper. Access is two-tiered, waits are long, and quality is uneven. Continuing care services are poorly funded and regulated, offered frequently by for-profits, and fall outside of Medicare.
Privatization at all levels — financing, ownership, management and delivery — worsens access and quality problems, says CUPE.
The variation in standards and availability, eligibility criteria, public funding and costs borne by clients/residents vary widely across the provinces. Most provinces have cut long-term bed capacity relative to the senior population in the past decade, without sufficiently expanding home and community care or increasing staffing to reflect the greater needs of remaining residents. New investments in home and community care tend to be understaffed and underfunded, resulting in poor working conditions and quality of care.
“In the absence of federal standards, continuing care (home/community and residential) is a patchwork of programs. Access is two-tiered, waits are long and quality is uneven.”
The position paper contrasts the patchwork system in Canada with that of other countries, notably Nordic European countries, the United Kingdon, Germany and Japan.
A recent Parliamentary Committee on Palliative and Compassionate Care recommended the federal government "implement a right to home care, long-term care and palliative care, for all residents of Canada, equal to the current rights in the Canada Health Act."
The position paper calls for a federal continuing care program, funded through general tax revenue, with stand-alone legislation incorporating the criteria of the Canada Health Act, including public administration, universality, accessibility and no user fees.
About Canadian Union of Public Employees
With 618,000 members across Canada, CUPE represents workers in health care, education, municipalities, libraries, universities, social services, public utilities, transportation, emergency services and airlines.
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