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NEWS RELEASE
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For Immediate Release October 22, 2009 |
Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport
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BILL OF RIGHTS FOR RESIDENTS PROMOTES BETTER CARE
VICTORIA – The Residents’ Bill of Rights was introduced today to ensure that residents in British Columbia care facilities know their rights, which will be publicly displayed inside all residential care facilities throughout the province, announced Ida Chong, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport.
“The Residents’ Bill of Rights supports government’s throne speech commitment to provide residents in care facilities with a set of rights that promote health, safety and dignity in an environment to support high-quality care,” said Chong. “The legislation builds on B.C.’s commitment to care that will protect adults of all ages by providing a public display of residents’ rights, improving transparency and accountability in care facilities.”
The Residents’ Bill, to be posted visibly in all residential care facilities, also supports social, cultural, religious, spiritual and other rights of residents. The rights state that residents will be free from abuse and neglect, while they also promote respect of the personal privacy of residents, including their personal records, bedroom, belongings and storage spaces.
Government created the Residents’ Bill of Rights to clarify the rights of adults when they move into residential care, as the facility becomes their home. The Residents’ Bill of Rights will help ensure facility licence-holders, the persons in care, and family members are all made aware of the standard set of rights.
“We are very pleased to see increased safeguards for adults living in residential care,” said Barb MacLean, executive director with the Family Caregivers’ Network Society. “The new Residents’ Bill of Rights will have a positive impact on residents and their families by clarifying a resident’s rights and increasing their sense of security. The bill serves to standardize the many positive practices already in place in residential care, and its visibility will be a reminder of the importance of each person’s right to live with dignity, respect and safety.”
The Bill of Rights will be added as a schedule to the Community Care and Assisted Living Act. It will apply to adults who live in residential care facilities licensed under that act. This includes long-term care, mental health and substance use, community living, hospice and acquired brain injury facilities.
The Residents’ Bill of Rights will also apply to private and extended care hospitals, which are regulated under the Hospital Act. The schedule will not apply to Assisted Living facilities.
The Residents’ Bill of Rights improves transparency and accountability in care facilities, including the resident’s right to have access to copies of all laws, rules and/or policies affecting a service provided to the resident, as well as routine inspection reports of the facility. The bill will also keep residents informed in advance of all charges, fees, and payments that they must pay for accommodation and services received through the facility.
Residents’ concerns regarding any of their rights will be considered care quality complaints under the Patient Care Quality Review Board Act. These concerns may be tracked, monitored and reported by the health authorities as part of the broader patient complaints process.
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A backgrounder follows.
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Contact:
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Jeff Rud Communications Director Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport 250 952-2387 |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.
BACKGROUNDER
October 22, 2009 Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport
BILL OF RIGHTS FOR RESIDENTS PROMOTES BETTER CARE
All adult residents in residential care facilities have the following rights:
Commitment to care
A resident has the right to a care plan developed:
· Specifically for him or her, and
· On the basis of his or her unique abilities, physical, social and emotional needs, and cultural and spiritual preferences.
Rights to health, safety and dignity
A resident has the right to the protection and promotion of his or her health, safety and dignity, including a right to all of the following:
· To be treated in a manner, and to live in an environment, that promotes his or her health, safety and dignity.
· To be protected from abuse and neglect.
· To have his or her lifestyle and choices respected and supported, and to pursue social, cultural, religious, spiritual and other interests.
· To have his or her personal privacy respected, including in relation to his or her records, bedroom, belongings and storage spaces.
· To receive visitors and to communicate with visitors in private.
· To keep and display personal possessions, pictures and furnishings in his or her bedroom.
Rights to participation and freedom of expression
A resident has the right to participate in his or her own care and to freely express his or her views, including a right to all of the following:
· To participate in the development and implementation of his or her care plan.
· To establish and participate in a resident or family council to represent the interests of residents.
· To have his or her family or representative participate on a resident or family council on their own behalf.
· To have access to a fair and effective process to express concerns, make complaints or resolve disputes within the facility.
· To be informed as to how to make a complaint to an authority outside the facility.
· To have his or her family or representative exercise the rights under this section on the resident’s behalf.
Rights to transparency and accountability
A resident has the right to transparency and accountability, including a right to all of the following:
· To have ready access to copies of all laws, rules and or policies affecting a service provided to the resident.
· To have ready access to a copy of the most recent routine inspection record made under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, the Hospital Act, or any other applicable act.
· To be informed in advance of all charges, fees, and payments that the resident must pay for accommodation and services received through the facility.
· If any part of the cost of accommodation or services is prepaid, to receive at the time of prepayment a written statement setting out the terms and conditions under which a refund may be made.
· To have his or her family or representative informed of the matters described in this section.
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Contact:
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Jeff Rud Communications Director Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport 250 952-2387 |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.
