Nurses Union Proposes Revitalization Plan for Home Care Program

A recent study by the Manitoba Nurses Union reveals a significant crisis in home care services, highlighting a system under strain due to years of policy changes, underfunding, and inadequate planning. The study outlines a comprehensive plan aimed at revitalizing the program, which has seen a dramatic increase in demand but a minimal rise in available nursing hours.

The report indicates that over the past decade, the number of home care clients has surged by 41 percent, while total nursing hours have only increased by 2 percent. This disparity has left nurses feeling morally distressed, as expressed by union president Darlene Jackson. “The clients and the families are suffering. They are the ones that are bearing the brunt of this with missed visits and late visits,” she stated.

The document emphasizes that previous proposals made by home care nurses have largely been ignored by employers. “This is basically solutions for the government to pick up and run with,” Jackson added, urging provincial authorities to take immediate action.

Key Recommendations for Improvement

Among the report’s recommendations is the reinstatement of specialized nursing programs, including the rapid response teams introduced in 2017. These teams were designed to identify patients at risk of frequent hospital readmission but were discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic. The union calls for the establishment of public standards regarding wait times and missed visits, as well as the implementation of technology and modern scheduling tools to enhance efficiency.

The report also addresses the fallout from the rollout of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s centralized scheduling system, which was initiated earlier this year. Following its implementation, thousands of appointments went unassigned, leading to confusion for both staff and clients. Nurses had previously advocated for a smaller pilot project to test the system before its full-scale launch in spring 2023, but their concerns were largely overlooked.

In April, nurses publicly voiced their apprehensions regarding the new scheduling system’s negative impact on client health and well-being. By September, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara acknowledged that the system was not functioning as intended, offering an apology and announcing plans to withdraw it. In response, 32 scheduling clerks were hired to facilitate a return to the former system, but as of now, home care nurses continue to wait for the changes to be fully implemented.

Jackson remarked on the ongoing issues, stating, “I met with nurses and nursing resource co-ordinators this morning and nothing’s changed. Everything is exactly the same.” She expressed concerns that nursing co-ordinators have limited input into client care, further exacerbating the challenges faced by home care clients.

In a statement responding to the union’s report, Asagwara noted that efforts have been made to improve scheduling predictability and reduce visit cancellations. He highlighted that cancellations decreased by 43 percent from July to September and mentioned ongoing recruitment efforts for health-care aides and nurses.

Calls for Action from Political Leaders

The union’s findings have prompted calls for significant reforms. Kathleen Cook, the Progressive Conservative health critic, described the report as “a call to action.” She emphasized that her constituency office in west Winnipeg and Headingley has been inundated with complaints from home care clients and families regarding inconsistencies and missed appointments.

Jackson pointed out that the push to expand home care services in the 1990s aimed to reduce reliance on acute care beds by enabling more elderly Manitobans to remain in their homes. While the initiative was well-intentioned, she lamented that the necessary resources and funding have not kept pace with growing demand.

As discussions continue, the Manitoba Nurses Union remains committed to advocating for solutions that prioritize the health and well-being of both clients and caregivers within the home care system.