Bill 212 explained in plain English
Connecting Care Amendment Act (Patient Bill of Rights), 2020
Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
This bill would create a patient bill of rights under the Connecting Care Act, 2019, granting individuals receiving health services specific rights, including the right to an essential caregiver, which would override conflicting provincial laws.
Bill 212, the Connecting Care Amendment Act (Patient Bill of Rights), 2020, would amend the Connecting Care Act, 2019, to establish a patient bill of rights for individuals receiving health services in Ontario. This bill of rights outlines several rights, including the right to be treated with respect and dignity, the right to access information, the right to consent or refuse treatment, and the right to have an 'essential caregiver' who can be present at any time. These patient rights would take precedence over other provincial laws or regulations, unless those laws specifically state they apply despite the patient bill of rights. The bill also provides a mechanism for individuals to apply to the Superior Court of Justice if they believe their rights have been contravened, and the court has the power to make orders to enforce these rights. The definition of an 'essential caregiver' is also introduced, referring to someone designated by the patient who provides ongoing support.
- Amends the Connecting Care Act, 2019, to add a Patient Bill of Rights.
- Defines 'essential caregiver' as an individual designated by the patient who provides ongoing support.
- Establishes 15 specific rights for persons receiving health services, including rights related to respectful treatment, privacy, dignity, autonomy, information access, consent, substitute decision-makers, raising concerns, confidentiality, and access to essential caregivers.
- States that the Patient Bill of Rights prevails over other provincial Acts or regulations, unless those laws explicitly state they apply despite the bill of rights.
- Allows individuals to apply to the Superior Court of Justice for a declaration that their rights have been contravened.
- Empowers the Superior Court of Justice to make orders to enforce the Patient Bill of Rights.
- Binds the Crown and every agency of the Crown to the provisions of the Patient Bill of Rights.
- Names the Act the Connecting Care Amendment Act (Patient Bill of Rights), 2020.
- Individuals receiving health services in Ontario
- Health service providers in Ontario
- Essential caregivers
- The Crown and its agencies in Ontario
- The Superior Court of Justice
- Right to be treated with courtesy, respect, and free from abuse (mental, physical, financial)
- Right to dignity, privacy, autonomy, and to be a member of their own care team
- Right to be treated in a manner sensitive to individual needs and preferences, including ethnic, spiritual, linguistic, familial, and cultural factors
- Right to information about health services and providers
- Right to participate in assessment, development, review, and revision of care plans
- Right to give or refuse consent to health services
- Right to a substitute decision-maker if incapable of making decisions
- Right to raise concerns or recommend changes without fear of reprisal
- Right to be informed of laws, rules, policies, and complaint procedures
- Right to know who is involved in providing health services
- Right to confidential personal health records and to know about disclosures
- Right to a complete, accessible personal health record without delay or unreasonable cost
- Right to designate an essential caregiver and for that caregiver to have access and be treated with respect
- Right to information about appeal rights or complaint procedures
- Right to continue receiving health services without reprisal when filing an appeal or complaint
- The Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
- Individuals can apply to the Superior Court of Justice for a declaration that rights have been contravened.
- The Superior Court of Justice may make any order it considers appropriate to enforce the rights.
- The bill does not specify what constitutes an 'unreasonable cost' for accessing personal health records.
- The bill does not define the specific procedures for initiating complaints.
- The bill does not detail the specific criteria or process for the Superior Court of Justice to declare a contravention or the exact nature of 'any order' it might consider appropriate for enforcement, beyond stating its purpose is to enforce the rights.
Adds a definition for 'essential caregiver' and inserts a new Part establishing a Patient Bill of Rights, including provisions for interpretation, primacy over other laws, and court applications for enforcement. The bill also states that this Act and its regulations are to be interpreted to advance the objective that the rights be respected.
Source: Sections 1, 2, 3, and 5
Provisions in other Acts or regulations that conflict with the Patient Bill of Rights will not apply, unless the other Act or regulation specifically states it applies despite the Patient Bill of Rights. The Patient Bill of Rights takes precedence.
Source: Section 3 (3)
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
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Vote Summary
This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.
No published representative vote breakdown
This bill is still moving through the process. When a recorded division is published, representative positions can be listed here.
Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
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