BILL NO. 24

(as introduced)

2nd Session, 63rd General Assembly
Nova Scotia
67 Elizabeth II, 2018

 

Private Member's Bill

 

Nursing Home Transparency Act

 

Gary Burrill
Halifax Chebucto

First Reading: September 12, 2018

(Explanatory Note)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

Explanatory Note

This Bill amends the Homes for Special Care Act to require

(a) written reports be prepared following the inspection of nursing homes and residential care facilities; and

(b) making the reports accessible to the public.

An Act to Amend Chapter 203
of the Revised Statutes, 1989,
the Homes for Special Care Act,
Respecting Inspections

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 This Act may be cited as the Nursing Home Transparency Act.

2 Chapter 230 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Homes for Special Care Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 10 the following Sections:

10A (1) Within fourteen days of concluding an inspection pursuant to Section 10 of a nursing home, a residential care facility or any place that an inspector has reason to believe is a nursing home or a residential care facility, the inspector shall prepare and submit to the Minister and to the Minister of Health and Wellness a written report outlining the findings and recommendations of the inspection including the results of any patient examinations ordered by the inspector in the course of the inspection.

(2) Within ten days of receipt of the report referred to in subsection (1), the Minister of Health and Wellness shall

(a) cause the report, in the manner prescribed by the regulations, to be posted on the Department of Health and Wellness' website; and

(b) place the report in a searchable online database accessible to the public.

(3) Reports prepared pursuant to subsection (1) must be available for inspection by any person, free of charge at the head office of the Department of Health and Wellness.

10B The Personal Health Information Act applies to personal patient health information collected and disclosed in the course of investigating and reporting pursuant to Sections 10 and 10A.

3 Subsection 19(1) of Chapter 203, as amended by Chapter 9 of the Acts of 2007 and Chapter 17 of the Acts of 2010, is further amended by adding immediately after clause (i) the following clause:

(ia) respecting the posting of inspection reports on the Department of Health and Wellness website;

 

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