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Ministry Status: Recovery


The ministry is resuming regular operations and supporting health sector stabilization.

Minister's Directive: Supporting Long-Term Care Homes

Memorandum To: Long-Term Care Sector Partners

April 25, 2020

From: Richard Steele, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Long-Term Care

Together we are actively working with partners at all levels in health care and related sectors to implement enhanced measures and supports to ensure that we can protect the health of our most vulnerable. 

The sector's efforts and dedication in the face of COVID-19 are heroic, as frontline staff care tirelessly for long-term care residents. Over the past month, to bolster these efforts, we have enacted numerous measures, including emergency funding, regulatory flexibility, staffing support, expanded testing along with direction and guidance on outbreak management, and Infection Prevention and Support.

Despite our collective efforts, there continue to be real and immediate risks to the vulnerable residents and staff of some homes. Given the urgency of this situation and the need to ensure our residents receive the care they need, we are taking further action to provide homes in outbreak with additional supports, guidance, and assistance from public hospitals and from the federal government. To ensure rapid and seamless activation of these supports, where required, we are putting in place the following:

  1. The Minister of Long-Term Care has issued a Minister's Directive effective April 24, 2020, requiring all long-term care homes in outbreak to cooperate with Ontario Health and to provide entry to staff and any resources being made available from the federal government or public hospitals. Homes must allow them to provide services in relation to infection control or resident care as required.
  2. As of April 24, 2020, the Province of Ontario has issued an Emergency Order enabling hospitals, including staff from Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) teams, to support long-term care homes to provide services and resident care as required.
  3. On April 22, 2020, the Premier announced that the federal government has offered resources that could include personnel and other supports from Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces.

The well-being of residents in long-term care is our shared priority. The added resources and expertise from partners will help provide additional care to residents and support for staff working in long-term care homes.

As we continue to battle to limit the spread of this virus, we could not be where we are without your support and action. Thank you for your continued cooperation.

Sincerely,

Richard Steele
Deputy Minister

cc:

 

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