BILL NO. 99

(as introduced)

2nd Session, 62nd General Assembly
Nova Scotia
64 Elizabeth II, 2015



Private Member's Bill



Continuing-care Accountability Act



The Honourable David A. Wilson
Sackville–Cobequid



First Reading: April 22, 2015

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

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An Act Respecting Accountability
for Residential Care Facilities
and Nursing Home Waiting Lists

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

WHEREAS by Order in Council dated April 6, 1993, the licensing and funding of residential care facilities and nursing homes pursuant to the Homes For Special Care Act was assigned by the Governor in Council from the Minister of Community Services to the Minister of Health and Wellness;

AND WHEREAS the Department of Health and Wellness establishes policies and procedures for placing persons as residents in residential care facilities and nursing homes, and manages the list of persons awaiting placement in facilities and homes;

AND WHEREAS reducing wait times for placing persons in residential care facilities and nursing homes is important to ensure timely access to the facilities and homes by those most in need, as well as to ensure effective financial management of government funds;

1 This Act may be cited as the Continuing-care Accountability Act.

2 In this Act,

(a) "health authority" means the provincial health authority as defined by the Health Authority Act;

(b) "Minister" means the Minister of Health and Wellness;

(c) "reporting year" means the fiscal year of the Province.

3 (1) The Minister shall submit to the House of Assembly for each reporting year an annual report that provides for each of the four zones of the health authority

(a) the number of persons in each county on the waiting list for placement in residential care facilities at the beginning and at the end of the reporting year;

(b) the number of persons in each county on the waiting list for placement in nursing homes at the beginning and at the end of the reporting year;

(c) the reasons for the removal of persons from the waiting list referred to in clauses (a) and (b) during the reporting year;

(d) the average wait time from the date a person is placed on the waiting list until the person is placed in a residential care facility or a nursing home during the reporting year;

(e) the number of persons and the cost per person during the reporting year for the accommodation and the care of any person on the waiting list, who during the waiting period was not residing in premises that were that person's own residence or the residence of a family member; and

(f) the number of persons and the cost per person during the reporting year, for home care, for any person on the waiting list who during the waiting period was residing in that person's own residence or in the residence of a family member.

(2) The Minister shall table the annual report in the Assembly if the Assembly is then sitting or, where the Assembly is not then sitting, file it with the Clerk of the Assembly within 15 days following the end of the reporting year to which the report relates.

4 The money required for the purpose of this Act must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.

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