A public inquiry examining the case of Elizabeth Wettlaufer, a serial-killer nurse who preyed on elderly patients in her care, has issued a report aimed at preventing such crimes in the future. Here are some key recommendations from the 91 listed in the report:
— The government of Ontario should ensure that a strategic plan is in place to build awareness of the health-care serial killer phenomenon.
— The province should create new, permanent funding for long-term care homes for training, education, and professional development for those caring for residents.
— The government should expand the parameters of the funding it gives homes for nursing and personal care to allow them to spend it on a broader spectrum of staff, including pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
— It should create a three-year program under which homes can apply for grants of $50,000 to $200,000, based on their size, to improve visibility and tracking of medication.
— The province should refine its performance assessment program for long-term care facilities to better identify those struggling to provide a safe and secure environment.
— It should conduct a study to determine adequate levels of registered nursing staff in long-term care facilities and table the findings by July 31, 2020. If the study shows a need for additional staffing to ensure residents’ safety, homes should receive more government funding.
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See Also:
(1) No acts of ‘individual misconduct’ in long-term care system, Wettlaufer inquiry finds
(2) Why are the Ontario PCs deliberately behaving like the Liberals they just trounced?
(3) Dangerous offenders have the run of the place at CAMH
(4) Lighter sentences for Toronto South inmates questioned
(5) Long-time Doug Ford adviser promoted to key role in premier’s office
