A recently released report produced by SafeCare BC provides evidence that, in addition to promoting the well-being of seniors, the Seniors Safety and Quality Improvement Program (SSQIP) has improved worker safety in long-term care.
With funding of $10 million provided by the B.C. Ministry of Health, SSQIP allowed any licensed publicly-funded long-term care home operator to apply for new equipment intended to enhance safety and quality of life for residents. Those approved received up to $500 per publicly-funded resident. BC Care Providers Association managed the program, which is overseen by an advisory committee which includes representatives from the Ministry of Health, BCCPA, Denominational Health Association and SafeCare BC.
With respect to medium-sized organizations, operators funded by the program made more significant improvements than their unfunded counterparts, and also performed favorably with respect to injury rates and time-loss claims. In addition, while funded organizations started with an overall higher average number of workdays lost, they made significant improvements such that their average was comparable to organizations without funding by the end of the period.
Funding for the Seniors Safety and Quality Improvement Program officially runs out in March 2020 as BCCPA will be allocating the remaining funds available from the grant by then. The Association is advocating for additional funding to continue the program beyond March, and has requested that any new funding should include assisting living providers who are impacted by recently implemented regulatory requirements (aka “Bill 16”).
You can download the full report here. If you are a long-term care or assisted living provider who would benefit from additional funding from the SSQIP program, please contact BCCPA Director of Programs Snezana Ristovski (snezana@bccare.ca) and she will provide information on how you can let the Health Minister know you want this program to continue.
