Province moving ahead with plan to add more long-term care beds, health minister says

P.E.I.'s health minister says the province is ready to move forward with a plan to expand long-term care beds on the Island.

In the legislature Tuesday, Minister of Health and Wellness Mark McLane said a tender has been issued to add 50 new private long-term care beds. Such a commitment includes ensuring there's enough staff in a facility to provide care to the patient in that bed.

McLane was answering Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly, who wanted to know the status of a previously cancelled tender for 175 private beds. That request for proposals was cancelled almost a year ago.

"You had an RFP out for 175 beds that was cancelled. We're waiting for that to be reissued. Minister, where is the RFP for 175 long-term care beds?" McNeilly asked during question period.

McLane responded: "We will post that RFP when the other 50-bed RFP closes. We don't want them out in the market at the same time. It will be posted the next day."

The current tender for 50 beds is set to close on Thursday.

McNeilly then asked for a timeline on when those beds might be available. McLane said that when the province added 50 beds last year, some opened within 30 to 60 days, but others required more time for capital improvements to facilities and certification to ensure they met the necessary long-term care specifications.

"So each situation is different," he said.

In the throne speech opening the spring session of the legislature two weeks ago, the Rob Lantz government said it would add and fund 50 more beds in public long-term care homes and 175 beds in private facilities.

The issue affects more than just seniors waiting for a long-term care bed. During a hearing in February 2024, MLAs were told that 14 per cent of beds in Island hospitals were being occupied by patients waiting for long-term care, so other kinds of patients can't be admitted for hospital care. 

Concerns raised over placement policy

McNeilly also raised concerns about the province's first-available-bed policy.

It means that if a suitable bed is not available in a senior's first choice for a care home, that person will be asked to move to the first available bed anywhere in the system. If they decline that bed while waiting in hospital, the hospital may proceed with discharging them without a care bed in place.

Home-care program raising concerns with P.E.I. union about health-care privatization, cost

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The P.E.I. Union of Public Sector Employees says a home-care program seems to be millions of dollars over budget.  It provides seniors with funding for private support at home so that they can delay going into long-term care. But that's not sitting well with UPSE. CBC's Sheehan Desjardins explains.

McNeilly said the policy is affecting Islanders, especially those in rural areas, where elderly couples are being separated and families are struggling to visit loved ones due to long travel distances.

"That's cold, that's clinical and it's cruel. This government created the long-term care backlog, yet Island families are being punished and separated for your lack of planning," he said.

The Liberal MLA called on the province to commit to reviewing the policy.

In response, McLane said the policy is consistent with those of other provinces. He noted that seniors who have accepted an existing bed but want to move closer to their families will get preferential treatment when a local bed later becomes available.

He also pointed to existing home care supports that allow seniors to stay in their own home longer and remain closer to family.

One such support is the Home Care Program, which supports 2,700 clients at any one time and 4,500 clients on an annual basis.

There is also the At Home Caregiver Benefit program, which provides financial assistance to Islanders needing a level of care that would otherwise require long-term care, allowing them to remain in their own homes and compensating their primary caregivers. The program is supporting about 300 families, the minister said.

"We are supporting seniors in P.E.I., they want to stay at home... as long as possible, safely and with the support from both... those programs," McLane said.