For families, there is help

Could an ombud help families find answers?, Jan. 10

The Young family’s experience highlights some of the challenges that families can face when looking for answers from the health-care system.

The office of Patient Ombudsman was established in 2016 to receive, respond to, and help resolve complaints about patient care and health-care experiences in Ontario’s long-term-care homes, public hospitals, and when receiving home and community care services.

Patient Ombudsman can help when patients and caregivers have not been able to resolve their complaint directly with the health-care provider.

When complaints are premature or outside our jurisdiction, Patient Ombudsman will provide information and, where appropriate, connect patients and caregivers to organizations or services that can help.

Craig Thompson, for Patient Ombudsman