Bill 89 2008

An Act to amend the Ombudsman Act with respect to hospitals and long-term care facilities

This Act amends the Ombudsman Act. For the legislative history of the Act, see the Table of Consolidated Public Statutes – Detailed Legislative History on www.e-Laws.gov.on.ca.

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

   1.  (1)  The Ombudsman Act is amended by adding the following section:

Ombudsman may investigate hospitals, etc.

   14.1  (1)  Anything that the Ombudsman may do under this Act in respect of a governmental organization, the Ombudsman may do in respect of,

  (a)  an approved charitable home for the aged or an approved charitable institution within the meaning of the Charitable Institutions Act;

  (b)  a home or joint home within the meaning of the Homes for the Aged and Rest Homes Act;

   (c)  a home for special care within the meaning of the Homes for Special Care Act;

  (d)  a nursing home within the meaning of the Nursing Homes Act;

  (e)  a hospital within the meaning of the Public Hospitals Act;

    (f)  an institution within the meaning of the Mental Hospitals Act; and

  (g)  a private hospital within the meaning of the Private Hospitals Act.

Same

   (2)  If the Ombudsman does or proposes to do anything in respect of a body listed under subsection (1), any reference in this Act to a governmental organization is deemed to be a reference to the body.

   (2)  Clauses 14.1 (1) (a), (b) and (d) of the Act, as enacted by subsection (1), are repealed.

   (3)  Subsection 14.1 (1) of the Act, as enacted by subsection (1), is amended by adding the following clause:

(a.1) a long-term care home within the meaning of the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007;

Commencement

   2.  (1)  Subject to subsections (2) and (3), this Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

   (2)  Subsection 1 (2) comes into force on the later of the day this Act receives Royal Assent and the day section 194 of the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007 comes into force.

   (3)  Subsection 1 (3) comes into force on the later of the day this Act receives Royal Assent and the day section 2 of the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007 comes into force.

Short title

   3.  The short title of this Act is the Ombudsman Amendment Act (Hospitals and Long-Term Care Facilities), 2008.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Currently, under the Ombudsman Act, the Ombudsman may investigate decisions, recommendations, actions and omissions of governmental bodies and may exercise other powers necessary for an investigation. The Bill amends the Act to give the Ombudsman the same powers in relation to hospitals and long-term care facilities.