Care home outbreak data dissemination to remain as is: seniors minister

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This article was published 10/05/2022 (863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Despite the “very unfortunate situation” unfolding at Maples Personal Care Home — as COVID-19 spreads in the Winnipeg facility home and others across Manitoba — families and residents should not expect a return of robust information sharing by provincial government.

On Wednesday, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Scott Johnston dismissed calls by the Manitoba NDP to publish detailed and transparent information regarding the scale of COVID-19 outbreaks at care homes in Manitoba.

“Every effort is made when there is an outbreak of COVID, or there is infections existing in personal care homes, that individual family members are notified,” Johnston said in response to NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara during question period.

Asagwara raised the story of seniors Gail and Mike Dobbin — first published Tuesday in the Free Press — in the chamber. The couple was reinfected with COVID-19 while living at Beacon Hill Lodge in Winnipeg; Mike died in July 2021 and Gail died in April.

Their son, John Dobbin, called on the province to resume regular, detailed updates on outbreaks at personal care homes.

Without that information Manitobans “don’t know how other care homes are being affected” and “don’t know if there’s an incident,” Dobbin told the Free Press.

“There’s absolutely no reason why this province can’t provide that information,” Asagwara said Wednesday during question period. “People want to know that their loved ones and their friends are safe.”

Beacon Hill Lodge was still listed in outbreak by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority as of Wednesday, along with 15 other personal care homes in the city. Neither the health region nor provincial public health reports the number of infections in residents and staff.

Johnston offered condolences to the Dobbin family Wednesday.

However, the minister for seniors and long-term care — a new position created by Premier Heather Stefanson shortly after she took office — said personal care homes will continue provide COVID-19 outbreak information directly to family members.

Meantime, the public can look at the province’s weekly epidemiology report to see a high-level summary of all outbreaks in the province, Johnston said. “There is information that is related to families, as well as made public.”

Johnston was peppered with questions from the Opposition and Liberals on the province’s response to COVID-19 in care homes.

A recent outbreak at Maples, which involves at least 17 residents and 10 staff, required a site visit from the WRHA to monitor the situation and ensure protocols were in place to “secure the safety of the residents,” Johnston said.

On Wednesday, the Free Press asked the WRHA to provide an update on the number of cases at Maples. The health authority said questions should be directed to care home operator, Ontario-based Revera Inc., over concern its numbers would not be current.

Revera did not return a request from the Free Press by deadline.

Johnston assured legislators nursing levels at the home in northwest Winnipeg were meeting provincial requirements.

“This is a very unfortunate situation, but were the essentials in place to address these issues? Yes, they were,” Johnston said.

During the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Maples was hit with a massive outbreak, driven in part by a lack of infection and prevention control oversight, a later external review found.

The outbreak infected 157 residents and decimated staffing levels to the point emergency responders had to be called in to provide care. Fifty-six residents died.

A report by external investigator Lynn Stevenson ordered by the provincial government contained 17 recommendations to improve long-term care.

Johnston said the government is proceeding with discussions to increase funding for care homes and nurse-to-resident ratios, as recommended by the Stevenson report.

“This government has adopted all 17 recommendations of the Stevenson report… staffing is part of that, bedside service is part of that. However, there is going to be a process of negotiation to be able to accomplish that,” the minister said.

Johnston’s press secretary said he was unavailable to speak to reporters following question period.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca