Complaints to Sask. ombudsman illustrate differing perspectives on COVID precautions

COVID-19 precautions went too far for some and not far enough for others who complained about long-term care homes and correctional facilities to Saskatchewan’s ombudsman last year.

Saskatchewan’s ombudsman, Mary McFadyen, explains in her annual report released Thursday that complaints about unfair treatment at long-term care homes and correctional facilities increased in 2020 as the COVID pandemic changed how government services were provided.

Outbreaks were declared in both types of facilities at various points in 2020, which was reflected in when complaints were made during last year.

Correctional facilities

About 100 of the 619 complaints about the Ministry of Corrections and Policing were related to the pandemic. A third of those came in during the first three weeks after Saskatchewan declared a state of emergency on March 18, 2020.

“Several of these initial concerns were about whether appropriate safety protocols were being implemented and whether inmates were being given enough information about what was happening and how they could protect themselves,” the report reads.

In response to the complaints, the ombudsman’s office contacted Corrections officials “to ask about the steps they were taking.”

Another 35 complaints came in between mid-April and mid-November. During the final six weeks of the year when outbreaks were declared at facilities, another 30 were made.

“Many of the concerns we heard were about whether inmates were being adequately protected from the virus, but we also received some complaints that the safety measures limited inmates’ access to exercise and programming,” the report reads.

Long-term care homes

The 51 complaints made last year about long-term care homes were about facilities operated by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) as well as non-profit and for-profit operators.

“Several of these were from people who were unable to see their family members in care due to visitation restrictions,” the report reads.

Those who complained had different perspectives on the precautions.

“Some people were concerned about whether protocols were being followed and whether enough precautions were being taken, while others felt the rules were being applied too strictly or wanted greater access to family members in care,” a news release on the report says.

It does not state what the ombudsman did with these complaints about long-term care homes.

The ombudsman mentions there were outbreaks at several care homes, but one in Regina has her attention. Later this year, results of a review into the outbreak at the Parkside Extendicare care home are to be released by the ombudsman’s office.

What is under review are the actions of those at Parkside Extendicare, but also the oversight and support provided to the care home by the Ministry of Health and the SHA. That goes further than what was requested by the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health.

Over the course of the outbreak at Parkside Extendicare, there were more than 200 infections and more than three dozen deaths from COVID.

Health and social services

Delayed procedures were at the heart of other complaints about the SHA, but exactly how many complaints of this nature were made is not clear. More than 150 complaints in total were made about SHA with a third of those related to COVID-19.

Complaints about social services were down more than a third to 554 in 2020, compared to 884 a year earlier. The number of complaints were typical in January and February, but dropped off in March, which is when the pandemic was declared.

About 80 complaints in 2020 were related to COVID-19. Half were from people complaining about their provincial income support benefits being scaled back or cut because of the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).

“We have given notice to the Ministry and are currently investigating this issue,” the report reads.

How the pandemic impacted complaints to the ombudsman

Overall, about 14 per cent of complaints made to the Saskatchewan Ombudsman office last year were related to COVID-19 though the number of complaints overall went down year over year.

Of the 3,415 complaints received last year, 2,492 were within the jurisdiction of the Saskatchewan Ombudsman. Compare that to a year earlier when there 3,807 complaints, of which 2,937 were within the ombudsman’s jurisdiction.

While complaints about some provincial and municipal government services went up, other agencies — such as social services, SGI and Crown utilities — were complained about less often.

“While we continued to see many of the same types of complaints as usual during the pandemic, others changed based on what was happening in each sector,” McFadyen’s report reads.

Her office is to investigate or address complaints about provincial and municipal government administration, make findings and recommendations, issue reports and educate people in Saskatchewan about administrative fairness.