Rights and Responsibilities 
of Consumers of GSPD 
Attendant Services 

In 1994, the Long Term Care Act was passed in Ontario. This law applies to many services funded by the Ministry of Health, including:

• Personal supports in attendant services such as outreach and supportive housing
• Professional services such as nursing, therapy, and social work
• Community services such as Meals On Wheels
• Homemaking services such as cleaning and meal preparation

This law contains the "Bill of Rights". The Bill of Rights is a set of rules defining how consumers should be treated - both by the staff providing the service and the agency. The following description of the Rights has been adapted from "Consumer Rights for Long Term Care Services - Plain Language Version" produced by the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy.

There are 9 Rights:

1. Courtesy, Respect, and Freedom from Abuse

You have the right to be treated in a courteous and respectful manner and to be free from mental, physical, sexual, and financial abuse.

2. Privacy and Freedom to Make Your Own Decisions

You have the right to be dealt with in a manner that respects your dignity and privacy and promotes your autonomy.

3. Being an Individual

You have the right to be dealt with in a manner that recognizes your individuality and that responds to your needs and preferences. This includes preferences based on ethnic, spiritual, linguistic, familial, and cultural factors.

4. Information and Answers

You have the right to have information about community services provided to you and to be told who will be providing the services.

5. Participation

You have the right to participate in the assessment of your requirements, development of your service plans, review of your requirements, evaluation, and revision of your service plans.

6. Control and Consent

You have the right to give or refuse consent to the provision of any community services.

7. Freedom to Speak Out

You have the right to raise concerns or recommend changes in connection with the community services provided to you and in connection with policies and decisions that affect your interests, to your service provider, government officials, or any other person, without fear of interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal.

8. Knowing the Rules

You have the right to be informed of the laws, rules, and policies affecting the operation of the service provider and the right to be informed in writing of the procedures for initiating complaints about the service provider.

9. Confidentiality

You have the right to have your records kept confidential in accordance with the law.

For more information, or to ask for a complete copy of the "Consumer Rights for Long Term Care Services" contact the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy.