Today Hamilton Centre MPP Andrea Horwath extracted a commitment from Ontario’s Health Minister to hasten the delivery of home care to people in Hamilton who need it.

Horwath took her concerns about home care delays to the Ontario Legislature demanding action for people like Dean Smith. Smith, 44, who’s in a wheelchair and needs home care, applied for service in December. But it took until last week – almost four months later –
for Smith to have his needs assessed and he continues to wait for actual home care help.

“Would the Minister tell Dean Smith and others with disabilities and health problems why they have to wait so long for an assessment let alone the home care they need in Dalton McGuinty’s Ontario and what he’ll do to guarantee home care will be there when people need it?” Horwath demanded.

Minister George Smitherman acknowledged problems and promised Horwath he’d work on bringing forward a plan to reduce wait times.

Still, Horwath said she’s concerned that Ontario lacks a system to track requests for home care services within the province’s 14 Community Care Access Centres.

“The McGuinty government could greatly assist our seniors and other vulnerable people by initiating a tracking and accountability system within the home care sector,” Horwath said.

“As it stands now, it’s a big dog’s breakfast.”