Category: Global

Ensuring the health and safety of staff, clients and health care partners is a top priority

UPDATED MARCH 14, 2022

As of March 14, 2022, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health announced (opens in a new tab)  that Directive 6 is no longer in effect, however health care organizations who have not already done so continue to be strongly encouraged to integrate immunization policies into their existing policies and procedures. To protect our patients, their caregivers and families, our staff and health system partners, Home and Community Care Support Services’ mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy remains in place and all employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccination has been a key component of our COVID-19 response and offers safe and effective protection against hospitalization and severe outcomes.

Home and Community Care Support Services staff and providers continue the appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment, including masks and face shields, complete daily health screening and follow practices and guidelines set by Public Health Ontario and the Ministry of Health.  

TORONTO, Sept 3, 2021 –Home and Community Care Support Services is implementing a mandatory vaccination policy that requires its staff across the province to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

On Tuesday, August 17, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health issued Directive #6 (opens in a new tab)  mandating that all hospitals and home and community care service providers implement a COVID-19 vaccination policy for employees, physicians, contractors, students/learners and volunteers effective September 7, 2021. Organizations have the ability to put in place additional policies or measures based on their context.

The Home and Community Care Support Services Vaccine Policy requires all employees to provide documentation proving they are fully vaccinated. Staff who have a valid medical exemption will be required to undergo regular COVID-19 testing up to three times weekly.

“Home and Community Care Support Services values the health and safety of our staff, patients, families and health system partners and is committed to preventing the spread of COVID-19,” says Interim CEO Donna Cripps. “While we respect each person’s choice to be vaccinated or not, safety must remain a priority. Getting vaccinated is important for our collective health, so we are asking that our employees make the commitment to be fully vaccinated.”

Home and Community Care Support Services is also working closely with all provincially contracted Service Provider Organizations (SPOs) to ensure their compliance with Directive #6. The SPOs provide care through nurses, personal support workers and other professional services to patients.

Additionally, Home and Community Care Support Services staff and providers continue to use Personal Protective Equipment, including masks and face shields, complete daily health screening and follow practices and guidelines set by Public Health Ontario and the Ministry of Health. 

QUICK FACTS

· On April 1, 2021, the 14 Local Health Integration Networks began operating under a new business name, Home and Community Care Support Services, to reflect a singular mandate to deliver home care and long-term care placement services and to provide referrals to community services.

· The Home and Community Care Support Services organizations are Crown agencies that serve over 674,000 patients per year.

· This renewed governance for home care is part of the government’s plan to modernize home and community care as part of an integrated health care system providing coordinated care for patients through Ontario Health Teams. Ontario Health Teams will work together to understand a patient’s full health care history, directly connect them to the different types of care they need and help patients 24/7 in navigating the health care system.

· There are no changes to how patients and caregivers access home and community care services.

· For information and referrals related to home and community care and long-term care home placement, patients can continue to call 310-2222 (English) or 310-2272 (French), no area code is required.

MEDIA CONTACT

Dave Richie
Director, Transition Communications and Engagement
Home and Community Care Support Services
Dave.Richie@hccontario.ca

About Home and Community Care Support Services

Home and Community Care Support Services (formerly known as Local Health Integration Networks) has a focused mandate to deliver local health care services such as home care, access to community services and long-term care home placement. These agencies previously had additional responsibilities for local health system funding and management, but these functions were transferred to and assumed by Ontario Health on April 1, 2021.

Home and Community Care Support Services is dedicated to ensuring the ongoing delivery of local services while Ontario makes changes to improve the health care system to give patients better connected care with health care providers working as one coordinated team in Ontario Health Teams.

Although these agencies are operating under new business names, services and contact information remain the same, including home and community care, long-term care home placement and help finding services and local doctors.

We have updated all Home and Community Care Support Services email addresses to reflect our new name.

This means our staff now have new email addresses ending in “@hccontario.ca”—replacing “@lhins.on.ca.” Please update your contacts with this new information accordingly.

Rest assured, there will be no disruption to service or contacting us because of this email change, and any emails sent to old email addresses will still be received by the intended person.

January 12, 2022

As we face the COVID-19 Omicron variant together

As we manage Omicron – a new virulent phase of the COVID-19 pandemic – we want you to know that Home and Community Care Support Services is here to support you, whether you’re a health care partner, patient or family member. 

As a pillar of the health care system, Home and Community Care Support Services is doing its part by supporting hospitals from being overwhelmed, connecting people to care so that they can weather this from home, and sharing our collective expertise to support other health care partners in need of our help.

I’m sure it comes as no surprise, that like the rest of the province, Home and Community Care Support Services has also been impacted by this latest variant. However, as CEO I remain hopeful despite the challenges we are collectively facing. This hope stems from the dedication and compassion I’ve witnessed in our staff and our partners, and in our provincial efforts to vaccinate everyone who is eligible.

This impact to health human resources means that in some of our geographies we are working with our service providers to prioritize new patients and patient care generally – and especially ensuring that the most complex patients receive the care they need. Some new patients with lower care needs may face a wait for personal support workers, nurses and other health professional to become available to provide care, as we concentrate on those most at risk. To ensure patients continue to receive the care they need, we are collaborating with partners on ways to improve recruitment and retention of health care workers, encouraging people to come back to the profession, and new graduates to join us in this meaningful work.

To protect patients and our staff, when possible we are offering virtual visits to our patients. In some areas, we are helping patients isolate with COVID-19 at home, providing remote patient monitoring tools in conjunction with other health partners. In addition, our Telehomecare program continues to provide remote monitoring equipment and coaching for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and heart failure to help them learn how to self-manage their symptoms. While we have staff calling in sick, thanks to remote work, many are able to isolate and, if their symptoms are mild, continue to work from home. 

Not all staff are working in the virtual world — in person care also continues. Our care coordinators are in hospitals at patient bedsides. They are there to assess the needs of patients and connect them to services in the community so that they can be discharged knowing they have supports when they return home. Other team members are in patients’ homes preventing unnecessary visits to hospital through care and supports at home, guiding patients and families through those final stages of their palliative care journey, or helping to find placement for their loved ones in long-term care.

As so many across the health care system are doing, many of our staff are going above and beyond their normal work hours. Some are volunteering outside of their scheduled shifts to help local public health units with vaccination clinics. Others have put their hands up for deployment should their skills be needed by Telehealth, assessment centres, or congregate settings in outbreak.

I’m hopeful. I know our staff are resilient and continue to bring empathy to their work – they are up to this latest challenge. I also know our partners are equally dedicated. We will get through this together.  And we will continue to help everyone be healthier at home through connected, accessible, patient-centred care.

Thank you for your patience with all of us across the health care system as we each navigate this next wave of COVID-19.

Sincerely, Cynthia Martineau

CEO, Home and Community Care Support Services

SOME KEY FIGURES:

• Home and Community Care Support Services collectively served approximately 674,000 patients across the province in 2020.
• Every year, 26,500 patients move to long-term care.
• Every month, care coordinators have 400,000 active patients on their caseloads.
• Every day, Home and Community Care Support Services delivers approximately:
  • 22,000 nursing visits
  • 3,000 therapy visits
  • 85,000 personal support worker visits

New CEO to lead Home and Community Care Support Services

November 19, 2021 – After a comprehensive, competitive search process for a permanent CEO to lead Home and Community Care Support Services, Chair Joe Parker, on behalf of the Board of Directors, is pleased to welcome Cynthia Martineau.

“Cynthia Martineau is a recognized health care leader who brings over 35 years of experience, skills and leadership,” said Parker. “At Home and Community Care Support Services our aim is both simple and ambitious — to ensure equitable and exceptional care, regardless of where they live across our province. We look forward to having Cynthia at the helm as we continue to work with system partners to transform home care to become a world leader for patients and their families.”

“Cynthia brings a wealth of health care knowledge and leadership experience to the CEO role. Her background in nursing and experience in key leadership roles in system planning and home and community care position her well to assume the CEO position at this important time,” explained Parker.

Cynthia will join Home and Community Care Support Services effective December 6th, 2021.

“Across the province home and community care plays a critical role in ensuring Ontarians remain safe and healthy, closer to home,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “I look forward to working with Cynthia as we continue to modernize and advance home and community care in Ontario to ensure a better, connected health care system focused on the needs of patients.”

Home and Community Care Support Services plays a vital role in Ontario’s health care system, ensuring people receive exceptional care – wherever they call home. Its focused mandate is to deliver excellence in home care and service delivery, as well as long-term care placement, and help in accessing services in the community.

Meeting local needs with provincial expertise, Home and Community Care Support Services is led by one CEO and Board. Its 14 geographies work together across the province to keep people healthier at home through connected, accessible, and patient-centred care and help them return home from hospital. As an organization it is advancing health system modernization by developing a consistent, modern home and community care delivery model to support integration through Ontario Health Teams.

“The road ahead is paved with opportunity and possibility and I’m proud to have been selected by the Board for this important role. Home and Community Care Support Services is an integral part of our health care system and relied upon by patients, families and caregivers across the province,” said Ms. Martineau. “I look forward to working with our leadership and governance team to ensure our organization is well-positioned to support our health system partners, our staff and the people we serve.”

On July 1, 2021, Donna Cripps was named Interim CEO to lead and refocus the organization under its renewed mandate until a permanent CEO could be hired. The Board extends its special thanks to Donna for her leadership during this pivotal time in the province of Ontario.

Quick Facts:

• In addition to members of the Board, two Patient Advisors were involved in the interviewing and selection process for the new, permanent CEO. Patient Advisor participation and voices ensure decision-making, at all levels within the organization, is centred on the needs of patients, families and caregivers.
• Home and Community Care Support Services’ name has changed but its care hasn’t. Formerly known as Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), it has a focused mandate to deliver home and community care, long-term care home placement, as well as help connecting with community services and primary care.
• Each year, 8,600 staff serve or support more than 674,000 patients of all ages.
• Every day, Home and Community Care Support Services provides: 22,000 nursing visits; 3,000 therapy visits; and 85,000 hours of personal support care.
• Find your local Home and Community Care Support Services here. To refer yourself or someone you know for care, call 310-2222 (English) or 310-2272 (French), no area code is needed.
• Read more about our Board of Directors, led by inaugural chair Joe Parker.

Backgrounder

• On Home and Community Care Support Services’ origin: On April 1, 2021, Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) began operating under a new business name, Home and Community Care Support Services, to reflect a focused mandate to deliver home care, long-term care placement services, and referrals to community services. On this same day, previous responsibilities for local health system funding and management was transferred to Ontario Health. A new governance model—with a cross-appointed Board and CEO for the 14 agencies—was introduced on July 1, 2021 as part of the government’s plan to modernize home and community care as part of an integrated health care system providing coordinated care for patients.

Cynthia Martineau’s Bio:

Cynthia has more than 35 years of clinical and health system leadership experience. She joined the former South East LHIN (now Ontario Health) in 2007. During her tenure, she served as Vice President responsible for Home and Community Care, as well as other senior leadership roles.

Cynthia assumed the role of Interim Regional Lead Ontario Health East/CEO Champlain, South East, Central East LHINs in January 2021 at the height of COVID-19 Wave 2, and led the region’s response to the pandemic while supporting three Home and Community Care organizations through their transition on July 1, 2021.

Prior to working with Ontario Health, Cynthia served as a nursing officer in the Canadian Forces in various roles from clinical care to operational deployment oversight of all aeromedical evacuations. After 21 years of proud service, she retired as the Commanding Officer of 24 Canadian Forces Health Services Centre.

Cynthia holds a Master of Sciences in Health Science as well as the CHE designation since 2003 with the Canadian College of Health Service Executives.

Media Contact 

Dave Richie 

Director, Transition Communications and Engagement 

dave.richie@hccontario.ca

Announcement

​We are pleased to welcome our new Board of Directors. This highly skilled and diverse group has a cohesive vision and is committed to strong governance. The board will support the continued stability and improvement of high-quality home and community care services for patients across the province. Welcome to Carol Annett, Anne Campbell, Eugene Cawthray, Mike Dibden, Stephan Plourde and Glenna Raymond.

Read the news release here.

Annonce

​Nous sommes heureux de présenter les membres de notre nouveau conseil d’administration. Ce groupe hautement qualifié et diversifié s’engagera à assurer une vision cohésive ainsi qu’une gouvernance solide. Le conseil appuiera la stabilité et l’amélioration continue des soins à domicile et en milieu communautaire pour les patients dans toute la province. Bienvenue à Carol Annett, Anne Campbell, Eugene Cawthray, Mike Dibden, Stephan Plourde et Glenna Raymond. 

Lire le communiqué de presse.

April 1, 2021

Home and Community Care Support Services

You will continue to have access to the care you need and the health care providers you have built relationships with. Home care continues as before and there are no changes to long-term care home placement.

For more information, visit: the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care website

March 17, 2021 – Additional Transfers to Ontario Health

On March 17, 2021, the Honourable Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, issued an order under the Connecting Care Act, 2019 transferring the health system planning and funding functions of the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) to Ontario Health, effective April 1, 2021:

• All 14 LHIN Transfer Orders (PDF)

Patient care functions, including the delivery of home care and long-term care home placement services, will remain in place under a new name to reflect a focused mandate – Home and Community Care Support Services.

Our name will change but services and contact information will remain the same, including home and community care and long-term care home placement.

This is part of Ontario’s plan to build a better, more connected health care system centered around the needs of patients through Ontario Health Teams.

Patients and families will continue to have access to the care they need and the health care providers with whom they have built relationships.

Ontario Health and the Ministry of Health are committed to ensuring Ontarians continue receiving high-quality health care services where and when they need them. For more information, visit ontariohealth.ca.

​February 26, 2019

• Ontario is improving the health care system to give patients better connected care, focused on their needs.
• You will continue to have access to the care you need and the health care providers you have built relationships with. Home care continues as before and there are no changes to long-term care home placement.
• Our patient services and contacts will remain unchanged until further notice.
• For more information about how Ontario is improving the health care system, visit ontario.ca/connectedcare​ or contact Service Ontario Health INFOline at 1-866-532-3161 (TTY 1-800-387-5559).

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