NDP unveils proposed patient safety charter

The Manitoba government plans to formalize the role of patient advocates and allow for greater sharing of findings into critical incidents in the health-care system.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said new legislation is needed to outline the role of such advocates. On Monday, the minister introduced Bill 27 (The Declaration of Principles for Patient Health Care Act and Amendments to the Health System Governance and Accountability Act).

The bill outlines expectations for patient treatment, including respect and dignity, timely access and safe care.

Each health authority and delivery organization must employ patient advocacy officers, the bill reads. Asagwara didn’t provide the number of officers needed but said Manitobans should have access to the workers regardless of where they live.

“(This) patient safety charter is our way of making it very, very clear for patients what they can expect from the health-care system,” Asagwara said.

“There is a clear opportunity for us… to set a clear mandate and direction.”

Manitobans are able to reach patient advocates via email, phone and by connecting through a health care worker.

The principles don’t include details such as how long of a wait for treatment qualifies as timely access. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said further legislation in the coming weeks, such as a bill to set nurse-to-patient ratios, will fill in some of the details.

Bill 27 would allow the health minister to share critical incident reports among Manitoba health authorities. Such reports result from medical care leading to death and other unintended outcomes.

Asagwara said they’ve heard from health-care workers who want access to critical incident findings from other jurisdictions in the province.

“Everybody (will have) the chance to learn and apply those teachings,” Asagwara said.

Tory Leader Obby Khan called Bill 27 “another distraction.”

“What is it actually doing?” he questioned. “Are we delivering resources to the front line? Are we getting wait times down in the ERs?”

Wait times on Monday afternoon at three adult hospital emergency rooms in Winnipeg ranged from eight to 12 hours, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s website indicated.

— with files from The Canadian Press

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com