Ruling leaves seniors without physio services: Gélinas

An Aug. 21 court ruling which paves the way for the province to make changes to physiotherapy services that will leave thousands of seniors without care, according to Nickel Belt MPP and Health and Long-Term Care critic France Gélinas.

“We know that there are tens of thousands of frail elderly people who were previously benefitting from physiotherapy services who will get discharged to nothing," Gélinas said, in a press release.

"The government has rushed to take way the existing services before the new system is up and running In the meantime these frail seniors are left without any access to care. This is unconscionable."

An application for a judicial review of these changes brought forward by a group of 43 for-profit physiotherapy clinics was rejected by a panel of judges, according to the Toronto Star.

The industry had complained the government had broken its own rules by providing very little notice about the upcoming changes.

The government plans to introduce a new system where for-profit clinics will no longer be able to bill OHIP, and the money will be spread out among 200 community physiotherapy clinics in the province.

Seniors who live in retirement homes who were previously able to receive physiotherapy treatments in their residence will also have to travel to a clinic for physiotherapy, according to the Ottawa Citizen.

Retirement home residents are also entitled to fewer treatments.

The new rules were supposed to go into effect Aug. 1, but were held up by the court case.

Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Deb Matthews said in a press release that with the ruling, Ontario will be able to move forward to improve physiotherapy services for 200,000 more seniors.

“My ministry is working with all our partners to ensure a smooth transition for patients,” she said.

“All along, our priority has been to ensure that seniors get the services they need to help them stay healthy, physically active and independent. Our changes will also provide broader access to physiotherapy throughout the province no matter where seniors live in Ontario."

Gélinas said the government is “celebrating the fact that they will now be able to bring their changes to physiotherapy in Ontario, while leaving thousands of seniors without care.”

“The fact that Ontario physiotherapists were forced to go to the courts speaks to the government’s failure to consult prior to pushing through a total system overhaul,” she said.

“Had they taken the time to do this right, we would not be in this situation today.”