WHEREAS access to community-based care for BCs growing seniors population is vital to keeping seniors healthy in their own homes and communities, and controlling cost pressures in the broader health care system; AND WHEREAS BCs Ombudsperson is nearing completion of an investigation into systematic issues in seniors care and a number of independent reports and studies including from the BC Medical Association and the UBC Centre for Health Services and Policy Research document problems in timely access to appropriate care, inadequate care and inadequate coordination of services: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM urge the provincial government to significantly enhance BCs system of community-based seniors care, in order to ensure timely access to the full range of public services that support seniors to age and die with dignity.
Ministry of Health The Ministry of Health the Ministry is committed to ensuring that people are able to receive the majority of their health services in community settings. To build a flexible, responsive and sustainable health care system to serve the needs of people with chronic health conditions, including seniors, it is important to work collaboratively within each community to ensure housing and health care options are appropriate to the needs of seniors. In February 2012, the Ministry released an action plan to ensure a more accessible, transparent and accountable approach to seniors care. Improving Care for Seniors: An Action Plan outlines concrete actions that the Ministry and partners are implementing over two to three years to improve home and community care services for seniors, and seniors care throughout the health care system. The goal of the action plan is to provide seniors and their families with the information they need to access services in a timely and informed way, ensure consistent and fair delivery of care, and protect vulnerable seniors from abuse and neglect. Completed actions include: - establishment of province wide after hours palliative tele-nursing support for clients at home; - development of advance care planning information and tools to help prepare for future health care needs; - supporting end-of-life care training to strengthen family physicians and home health teams; - consultation with the public about the future role and function of the seniors advocate; - launch of a single provincial phone line to report concerns about care; - development of clinical guidelines for frail seniors in emergency and hospitals; and - increased focus of residential facility inspectors on high risk areas. The Province provided 15 million to the United Way of the Lower Mainland to expand non-medical home support services in up to 65 communities by 2015. This key commitment from the Seniors Action Plan will be called Better at Home and will build on the Community Action for Seniors Independence CASI pilots that offer seniors in five communities access to services such as housekeeping, transportation, yard work and friendly visiting. The Seniors Action Plan also included a commitment to provide 1.4 million to the BC Association of Community Response Networks to increase CRN activities in up to 100 locations throughout BC by 2015. CRNs are local networks of service providers, agencies and volunteers that work to build community capacity to address and prevent adult abuse, neglect and self-neglect. The Ministrys strategic direction also includes implementation of Integrated Primary and Community Care IPCC. This goal is built around attachment to a family physician working with the health care team, as well as links to local community services to more effectively meet the needs of British Columbians. IPCC will focus on high needs priority populations across the continuum of both service delivery and patient health status. This initiative is closely associated with the provinces commitment that all British Columbians, who choose to, will have access to a family physician by 2015. Over the past several years, the health authorities have expanded home health services by introducing many innovative care options, including quick response teams, ambulatory clinics, home monitoring, and integrating health networks to better link primary care physicians with home health teams. The Ministry continues to work with the health authorities, the BC Medical Association and community groups to expand on this work. Additionally, on February 1, 2010, the Government of BC introduced a more equitable rate structure to reduce the burden on low-income seniors and support ongoing improvements to the residential care system, ensuring residential care remains sustainable and accessible to all British Columbians. The health authorities are required to use the increased revenue raised to directly improve residential care, which may include: increased staffing levels for nursing and other health professional services, staff education, investment in specialized services for distinct populations such as dementia and palliative care, and the amount of one-on-one care provided to clients. Each health authority will take a different approach to these investments based on prior investments and the unique issues in their region. However, all incremental revenue, estimated by health authorities at 78 million, is being invested to directly improve the care of clients within the residential care system. BCs minimum room and board rates are among the lowest in Canada. Ministry funding to health authorities has increased steadily since 200102 and is reflected in health authority spending in home and community care from 1.57 billion in 200102 to 2.4 billion in 201011, almost 54 percent. In 201011 health authorities increased spending for residential care by 45 million.