Patient Bill of Rights & Complaints Policy

1. A patient has the right to be dealt with by the provider of the home and community care service in a respectful manner and to be free from physical, sexual, mental, emotional, verbal and financial abuse by the provider.

2. A patient has the right to be dealt with by the provider of the home and community care service in a manner that respects the patient’s dignity and privacy and that promotes the patient’s autonomy and participation in decision-making.

3. A patient has the right to be dealt with by the provider of the home and community care service in a manner that recognizes the patient’s individuality and that is sensitive to and responds to the patient’s needs and preferences, including preferences based on ethnic, spiritual, linguistic, familial and cultural factors.

4. A patient has the right to receive home and community care services free from discrimination on any ground of discrimination prohibited by the Human Rights Code or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

5. A patient who is First Nations, Métis or Inuk has the right to receive home and community care services in a culturally safe manner.

6. A patient has the right to clear and accessible information about their home and community care services.

7. A patient has the right to participate in the assessment of their needs, development of their care plan, reassessment of their needs and revision of their care plan.

8. A patient has the right to designate a person to be present with them during assessments.

9. A patient has the right to designate a person to participate in the development, evaluation and revision of their care plan.

10. A patient who receives more than one home and community care service has the right to receive assistance in co-ordinating their services from the health service provider or Ontario Health Team.

11. A patient has the right to give or refuse consent to the provision of any home and community care service.

12. A patient has the right to raise concerns or recommend changes in connection with the home and community care service provided to them and in connection with policies and decisions that affect their interests, to the provider of the home and community care service, the Agency and its employees, government officials or any other person, without fear of interference, coercion, discrimination or reprisal.

13. A patient who receives a home and community care service has the right to be informed of the laws, rules and policies affecting the operation of the provider of the home and community care service, including this Patient Bill of Rights, and to be informed, in writing, of the procedures for initiating complaints about the provider.

Complaints Policy

Meals on Wheels London Client Complaint Policy

Meals on Wheels London welcomes and encourages feedback from clients, caregivers or anyone involved with Meals on Wheels London services at any time. All complaints are followed up and formally recorded in the appropriate client and/or service file. Parties will always be informed of the outcome. For example, if a client provides feedback that a meal was not satisfactory, they will be informed that the information will be shared with our meal provider.

Meals on Wheels London recognizes that there may be instances where clients’ complaints require a more thorough review. As well, to follow the regulations of the Home and Community Care Act., as a home care provider Meals on Wheels London will undertake a complaints process that is outlined below.  The following types of complaints fall under this process:

1. An allegation for abuse or neglect of a client that resulted in harm or a risk of harm to the client, or improper or incompetent service delivery to a client resulted in harm or a risk of harm to the client. MOWL has an Elder Abuse Policy which is available to staff and clients at any time.
2. A decision that the client is not eligible to receive a particular service of MOWL.
3. A decision to exclude a certain service from a client’s care plan.
4. A decision respecting the amount of any MOWL service set out in a client’s care plan.
5. A decision to terminate the provision of a MOWL service to a client.

To launch the process for any of these types of complaints clients need to indicate which category they feel their complaint falls under (staff will advise them of all categories). Then the following actions will be taken:

1. Staff will escalate the complaint to the leadership team who will launch a formal review of the complaint.
2. Staff are to record as much information as possible and email all members of the leadership team.
3. Staff will advise the client that a member of the leadership team will follow up with them in 10 business days of the receipt of the complaint.
4. A member of the leadership will contact the client to let them know it has been received and that an investigation has begun, and that the investigation will take a maximum of 60 days or advise them of a shorter period.
5. Leadership team will make a written report after the investigation and follow up with the client on the conclusion.
6. If the complaint is to be founded, then the report will outline steps taken to correct it and prevent similar incidents from happening. If not to be founded, then will report will outline why and advise client of further action they can take.
7. All reports will be sent to the client in writing or to their designated person of care.

All clients have the right under the Home and Community Care Act., to appeal the decision by MOWL. The follow requirements must be met to appeal a decision:

1. The person appealing must be the client and/or caregiver who the decision relates to and have received affirmation of the decision by MOWL or
2. The person who first made a complaint to MOWL did not receive notice of the decision within the 60-day period.

The client would have to notify the Appeal Board that they would like a hearing to escalate the complaint. They can contact the Health Service Appeal and Review Board at http://www.hsarb.on.ca/scripts/english/contact.asp or

Then the following will happen:

1. The hearing shall begin within 30 days after the Appeal Board receives the notice requiring a hearing.
2. The Appeal Board shall give each of the parties and the Minister at least seven days’ notice of time and place of hearing.
3. The parties at the Appeal Board are the client and/or caregiver, MOWL and any other person specified by the board.
4. The Appeal Board shall render its decisions within three days and will provide written reasons to all parties.
5. Actions will be taken by MOWL depending on the outcome.

MOWL clients also have the option to make complaints to the Ontario Patient Ombudsman but should consider this information before making a complaint: https://patientombudsman.ca/Complaints/Before-You-Make-a-Complaint