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The Underworked Ombudsman
Self-regulation rarely works and it certainly doesn't at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. There is a way to get the Ontario Ombudsman's Office involved in complaints regarding the hospital system but it is time consuming. First one has to make a complaint to the Ministry of Health. That ministry does come under the purview of the Ombudsman's Office. The downside for those wishing to partake is it is an extra step in the process making it frustrating. Unfortunately under Ontario's current legislation it's a fruitless step. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care provide the funds for hospitals but without oversight. Where is the accountability? In the article exposing the bureaucratic ineptitude at Princess Margaret Hospital part of the problem is an indifferent internal Ombudsman's Office. The Ministry of Health's response was to take a hands off approach telling our editor to complain to the Office of the Ombudsman at the Hospital who have repeatedly stonewalled after multiple attempts at contact. The Minister of Health is a Member of the Provincial Parliament of Ontario. In his term of Office the then Minister George Smitherman did nothing to correct this clear conflict of interest within the hospitals. Must a patient die before Smitherman wakes up and does his job as a member of the Government of Ontario and fix the problem? It's rich for any Government Minister, like George Smitherman, to hide behind the law as a reason for inaction when he has the power to alter the law for the good of the people of Ontario. Ontario goes to the polls on October 10th, technically a bureaucrat is in charge as the Minister because the Ontario government was dissolved launching the election campaign. Marin has an incredible resume as an Ombudsman. He is respected for his expertise given his ability to create a credible, impartial and accountable ombudsman office. He currently serves as Ontario's sixth Ombudsman a job he has held since April 2005. His first step: reorganizing the office of the Ontario Ombudsman to allow his team to work on issues that affect every Ontario resident. Annually the Ombudsman's Office deals with over 20,000 individual complaints. Two hospitals do come under the Ombudsman's oversight. Through an Order in Council issued on July 30, 2007, Robert Devitt was appointed as supervisor of The Scarborough Hospital, reporting directly to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. On June 11, 2007, Marc Rochon was similarly appointed as supervisor of Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston. Normally the Ombudsman does not have jurisdiction over hospitals in Ontario, things are different when the government takes direct control, Mr. Marin said . "As Ombudsman, I do have jurisdiction over the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, and these two hospitals are now directly controlled by the Ministry. Therefore, the public should know that issues occurring after July 30 in the case of Scarborough, and after June 11 in the case of Alliston, are now within my office’s jurisdiction." Good news for patients at those two hospitals but not for other Ontario Hospitals. Ontario is the only province that doesn't give it's Ombudsman oversight over the hospitals. That needs to change. Today! |
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