Concerned Friends Inspection Review Team is pleased to release its analysis of Ontario’s 2022 inspections of Long-Term Care Homes in Ontario. Our findings include:
- The number of inspections has been fewer every year since 2019, when 2,644 inspections were completed. In 2022, only 1,642 inspections were completed.
- Proactive Compliance Inspections (PCIs) were started in 2021 to replace the Resident Quality Inspections done under previous governments. PCIs inspect all the regulations and all aspects of care, not just those related to the complaint or critical incident reported. Only 17 proactive compliance inspections were done in 2021 and 61 in 2022 for over 600 homes.
- The number of Compliance Orders has decreased from 2018-2019, by 33% or more. Considering the difficulties uncovered by COVID-19, it is hard to credit the decrease to improved performance.
- The number of Written Notifications, however, has increased since 2020, especially if combined with Non-Compliances Remedied introduced in 2022, from 2,844 to 3,872 (36%). Written notifications state how the Long-Term Care home is not meeting a specified legislation/regulation, but the Long-Term Care home does not need to respond to the Ministry.
- The follow-up performed by the Ministry following Compliance Orders has been positive for 2022, better than 2021. For 2022, 75% of Compliance Orders have been followed up as of March 31, 2023. In 2021, only 64% of Compliance Orders had been followed up as of November 2022.
- With regard to types of non-compliances, from our analysis, infection control stands out as the most frequent compliance order. The Ministry of Long-Term Care issued new directives during the pandemic and directed inspectors to take note of infection control requirements in every inspection.
It is difficult to draw firm conclusions from the inspection reports. But it is clear that many homes have difficulty meeting the regulations and that better oversight is needed along with system-wide changes to improve Long-Term Care homes’ ability to meet the regulations, such as more regulated professionals, funds, and other resources. With the increased number of inspectors, Concerned Friends hopes and anticipates that there will be more proactive inspection and closer follow-up on non-compliances.
Many thanks to our team of Reviewers for their countless hours and insightful contributions. Click here to read the full 2022 Inspections Report Card.
