The program was serving about 7,200 people — seniors, adults with disabilities and children with disabilities — as of October 2015 at a cost of $199.2 million per year (looking at the 12 months prior).
According to a review by Deloitte, released Tuesday afternoon, costs are about to rocket up and the program is expected to cost the province $22.8 million to $73.4 million more per year, five years from now, with the range reflecting low- to high-cost scenarios.
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The entire program cost about $66 million in 2003-04.
Deloitte’s review was spurred by already increasing demand, and completed by request of the provincial Department of Health and Community Services.
The findings noted the rising demand for services, and the increasing program cost, is being driven by the seniors caseload, as opposed to people with disabilities who are availing of the program.
“Seniors case files are estimated to increase 24 per cent from the current level of 3,752 people up to 4,660 (by 2021),” the report states.
The consultant recommended the province address the problem.
“In order to keep costs stable in this program, significant policy changes and/or operational improvements will be required.”
Apart from program demand and cost, the Deloitte report flags the fact home support is not always tied in with other community programs and services, there is a lack of defined qualifications for home support workers and there is a need for clear career paths, for new operating standards and for measurement of and generally greater attention to the experiences and end results for clients.
In releasing the roughly 100-page report Tuesday, the provincial Department of Health also noted Deloitte’s suggestion the province “streamline” clinical and financial assessments for program participants.
“This report on the state of our provincial home support program will prove to be a very useful roadmap as we move forward with improvements to the administration and delivery of these services throughout Newfoundland and Labrador,” Health Minister John Haggie stated in a news release. “While a client survey by Deloitte suggests a degree of satisfaction and effectiveness in the program as it currently exists, there are opportunities for improvement.”
A representative of the Home Care Association of Newfoundland and Labrador said the report is welcomed and being reviewed.
The full document, dated July 12, is available online at www.health.gov.nl.ca/health/personsdisabilities/pdf/executive_report_phsp_review.pdf).