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Elinor Caplan Appointed To Conduct Review of CCAC Competitive Bidding
Process
TORONTO, Oct. 4 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is ensuring Ontarians
receive the highest quality home care services by appointing the Honourable
Elinor Caplan to conduct an independent review of the competitive bidding
process used by Community Care Access Centres (CCACs) to select service
providers, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced
today.
"It's important for people receiving home care services to know they are
getting the highest quality services possible," Smitherman said. "There are
significant concerns that the scale of contract changeovers is causing
instability in the home care labour force and in the homes of patients. This
review will look at how the process is working for patients and how it can be
improved to ensure a consistently high level of care."
Caplan, a former Ontario Health Minister and federal cabinet minister,
will be reporting back to the minister within six months.
"I'm pleased that someone who knows the health care field so well will be
handling this important file," Smitherman said. "Elinor Caplan will bring her
knowledge and commitment to health care and public service to find solutions
and improve home care in Ontario."
"This client-centred review will ensure we are getting the very best
quality for patients, the very best price for taxpayers and a fair and
equitable process for providers," said Caplan.
"The government is to be applauded for not accepting the status quo in
home care and for actively searching to see how clients can be better served
in their local communities," said Joe McReynolds, CEO of the Ontario Community
Support Association. "We look forward to a better system where the emphasis is
placed on high quality care, including continuity of care for home care
clients."
During the review, no new Request for Proposals (RFPs) will be issued
unless absolutely necessary. CCACs have been requested to extend, where
possible, existing contracts.
"OHHCPA members are supportive of the RFP review and need for an open,
transparent and fair purchasing process that can deliver the best quality care
to home care clients at a responsible cost to the public," said Susan
Vanderbent, Executive Director of the Ontario Home Health Care Providers
Association.
Since 1997, CCACs have been obtaining nursing, medical supplies and
equipment, personal support and homemaking, and therapy services using a
competitive selection process, known as the Request for Proposals.
This news release is available on our website at
http://www.health.gov.on.ca
Version française disponible
Att: Backgrounder
Backgrounder
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REVIEW OF HOME CARE COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS
Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman today appointed
former Ontario Health Minister, the Honourable Elinor Caplan to conduct an
independent review of the competitive bidding process used by Community Care
Access Centres (CCACs) to select home care providers.
Objective
The purpose of the review is to ensure that the competitive bidding
process supports the very highest quality of care, human resource stability
and delivers the very best possible value for money spent on home care
services in Ontario.
Mandate
Elinor Caplan will be reviewing the bidding process for home care
services to determine:
- The impact of the current process on the quality and price of services
delivered to clients
- If the process can be improved to support the quality and continuity
of care to clients as well as greater stability in the workforce
- If the resources needed by CCACs and service providers to carry out
the current competitive bidding policy are reasonable
- If the current mechanisms for continually improving the method of
selecting service providers can be enhanced
- The effectiveness of the ministry's role in supporting the competitive
bidding policy.
The ministry has developed interim guidelines for the management of
contracts during the review requiring that:
- CCACs proceed with Request for Proposals (RFPs)/Tenders currently
issued and/or closed. These include:
- Algoma CCAC for nursing
- Simcoe CCAC for nursing and personal support/homemaking
- Toronto CCAC for nursing, Waterloo for personal support/homemaking
- Windsor/Essex CCAC for social work
- York Region CCAC for personal support/homemaking
- All CCACs extend existing home care provider contracts, wherever
possible, while the review is being conducted
- No new RFP proposals will be issued during the review period, unless
absolutely necessary.
Review Process
The review will include but not be limited to a review of procurement
policies and procedures; evaluation of representative, random and targeted
samples of CCACs to evaluate how the procurement process is implemented; and
interviewing clients, associations, CCAC staff, service providers, unions, and
MOHLTC staff.
Caplan will report back to the minister with recommendations on these
points within six months.
CCACs and the Competitive Bidding Process
CCACs were created in 1996 through the consolidation of 38 home care
programs and 36 placement coordination services. In February 2002, CCACs were
designated statutory corporations of the government under the Community Care
Access Corporations Act, 2001.
Since 1997, CCACs have been contracting nursing, personal support and
homemaking, and therapy services (as well as medical supplies and equipment)
through a competitive selection process commonly known as an RFP process.
Service providers have bid on contracts that range from three to five years in
length.
Elinor Caplan
Elinor Caplan was Ontario's Health Minister in the Peterson government in
the late 1980s. Elected as a MPP from 1985 to 1997, Caplan also served as
Minister of Government Services and Chair of Management Board.
Her political career began in the former City of North York where she was
alderman from 1978 to 1985.
After leaving provincial politics, Caplan was elected as MP for Thornhill
from 1997 to 2004. During her time in Ottawa, Caplan was Minister of
Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Minister of National Revenue and
Parliamentary to the Minister of Health.
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For further information: Members of the media: Eva Lannon, Minister's Office, (416) 327-4320; Dan Strasbourg, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, (416) 314-6197
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