Patient Bill of Rights
Every health service provider and Ontario Health Team shall ensure that the following rights of patients are fully respected and promoted:
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1. A patient has the right to be dealt with by the provider of the home and community care service in a respectful manner and to be free from physical, sexual, mental, emotional, verbal and financial abuse by the provider.
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2. A patient has the right to be dealt with by the provider of the home and community care service in a manner that respects the patient’s dignity and privacy and that promotes the patient’s autonomy and participation in decision-making.
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3. A patient has the right to be dealt with by the provider of the home and community care service in a manner that recognizes the patient’s individuality and that is sensitive to and responds to the patient’s needs and preferences, including preferences based on ethnic, spiritual, linguistic, familial and cultural factors.
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4. A patient has the right to receive home and community care services free from discrimination on any ground of discrimination prohibited by the Human Rights Code or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
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5. A patient who is First Nations, Métis, or Inuk has the right to receive home and community care services in a culturally safe manner.
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6. A patient has the right to clear and accessible information about their home and community care services.
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7. A patient has the right to participate in assessing their needs, developing their care plan, reassessing their needs and revising their care plan.
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8. A patient can designate a person to be present with them during assessments.
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9. A patient has the right to designate a person to participate in the development, evaluation, and revision of their care plan.
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10. A patient who receives more than one home and community care service has the right to receive assistance in coordinating their services from the health service provider or Ontario Health Team.
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11. A patient has the right to give or refuse consent to providing any home and community care service.
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12. A patient has the right to raise concerns or recommend changes in connection with the home and community care service provided to them and in connection with policies and decisions that affect their interests, to the provider of the home and community care service, the Agency and its employees, government officials or any other person, without fear of interference, coercion, discrimination or reprisal.
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13. A patient who receives a home and community care service has the right to be informed of the laws, rules, and policies affecting the operation of the provider of the home and community care service, including this Patient Bill of Rights, and to be informed, in writing, of the procedures for initiating complaints about the provider.