Office of the Auditor General
June 23, 2017

Home Support Services for Seniors Not Always Reassessed Each Year and Not Always Monitored in Line with Policy

Auditor General, Terry Paddon, delivered his report on Performance Audits of Departments and Crown Agencies to the House of Assembly today in St. John’s. The results of his audit of the Provincial Home Support Program were included in his report.

“Over the next 20 years, the number of seniors aged 65 and over in the Province is expected to increase by more than 50 per cent.  As the number of seniors continues to increase, there will likely be an increase in the demand for home support services.” 
- Terry Paddon, Auditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador

The Auditor General completed an audit on home support services of seniors at the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the Western Regional Health Authority. He found that clinical assessments were not always completed annually and were not always completed within established timeframes.  Both Authorities did not always periodically contact seniors as required, did not always review financial records of seniors that self-managed their home support services and re-issued approvals to home support agencies to operate even though issues identified in agency audits continued to be reported.

The report is available on the Office of the Auditor General website at www.ag.gov.nl.ca/ag/reports.htm

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Media contact:
Terry Paddon
Auditor General
709-729-2700

2017 06 23                                                    9:40 a.m.