BackOmbudsman and Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner, Mary McFadyen’s 2021 annual reports were tabled in the Saskatchewan Legislature today – the last ones before she retires on May 6, 2022. McFadyen said long-term care was an important theme this year, as it was throughout her time as Ombudsman.
The report also provides an update on the Ombudsman’s investigation into the COVID-19 outbreak at Extendicare Parkside. All but four of the facility’s 198 residents contracted COVID-19 during the outbreak and 39 died of it. The Saskatchewan Health Authority accepted all four of her recommendations.It stopped allowing four residents to a room in long-term care facilities, and the other three recommendations are progressing.
This includes a detailed annual review process to ensure facilities are following the Ministry of Health’s Guidelines, and to make the results of this process public for each facility. Extendicare (Canada) Inc. has not responded to or accepted the recommendations made to it. These include providing families with a written apology, completing a comprehensive critical incident review, and ensuring it complies with the province’s standards, including effective infection prevention and control management on site.
As Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner, McFadyen said in the more than 10 years since The Public Interest Disclosure Act has been in force, only 139 public sector employees have contacted her Office, and the Public Service Commission has reported only 10 disclosures internally at public sector workplaces. “The Act was meant to provide an effective way to facilitate disclosures of wrongdoing by protecting public sector employees who report them.
Both annual reports are available in the download section below or at www.ombudsman.sk.ca/resources/annual-reports/. The Ombudsman and Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner is an officer of the Legislative Assembly who operates under The Ombudsman Act, 2012 and The Public Interest Disclosure Act. Her Office promotes and protects fairness and integrity in the design and delivery of government services.
Source: Office of the Ombudsman of Saskatchewan, Canada
