Patient Ombudsman’s role is to help resolve complaints from patients, residents and caregivers about their experiences in Ontario’s public hospitals, long-term care homes, home care, and community surgical and diagnostic centres.
We do not have the authority to look into all types of health care complaints.
Complaints outside of Patient Ombudsman’s jurisdiction
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Retirement homes: Patient Ombudsman does not have jurisdiction over retirement homes. Complaints can be made directly to the retirement home or contact the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority at 1-855-275-7472.
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Health care professionals: If your concern is about a whether a regulated health professional (such as a doctor or nurse) is following their professional standards when it comes to conduct or decision-making, you will need to contact that professional’s regulatory college.
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Complaints that are part of a legal process: Generally, we cannot try to resolve or investigate a complaint if it is the subject of a proceeding before a court, a tribunal, a commission, a justice of the peace, a coroner, a committee of a regulatory college, a committee of the Board of Regents, or is currently in front of an arbitrator or a mediator.