Anyone who has followed the Sask. Party’s long-term problem with long-term care might have found the Minister for Seniors’ letter requesting an Ombudsman’s investigation into the deadly outbreak at Extendicare Parkside quite familiar.
The Minister calls on the Ombudsman to examine “Extendicare Parkside's adherence to The Housing and Special-care Homes Regulations”.
Funny they should ask. In her 2015 report “Taking Care: An Ombudsman Investigation Into The Care Provided To Margaret Warholm”, she recommended the provincial government do just that:
“Recommendation 13: The Ministry of Health implement a publicly accessible reporting process that families can use to see whether each long-term care facility is meeting the Program Guidelines for Special-care Homes”.
Not only did the Sask. Party fail to implement recommendations from the Ombudsman that could have saved lives and kept seniors safe, they’re asking her to re-investigate something their government should have been doing for the last six years.
Reports full of ignored recommendations don’t save lives.