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The platform, announced recently, will connect all publicly funded home care agencies with Nova Scotia Health’s (NSH’s) continuing care program, allowing for real-time access to information and more efficient booking when appointments are cancelled. It is expected to launch in mid-2027.
“Guysborough County Home Support Agency (GCHSA) is the only home support provider in Guysborough County,” said executive director Denise Halloran.
“Similar to other areas of the province, access to home care in Guysborough County is either through self-referral, where the individual calls the provincial intake line, or through a health-care practitioner,” she added.
Halloran said that services are authorized by NSH care co-ordinators to the appropriate service level, including home support, community-based nursing or other funded programs.
Halloran said the province’s plan to streamline scheduling and information-sharing for home care staff and clients is a step in the right direction, especially for rural areas like Guysborough.
“Home support has been looking forward to a centralized home care platform for quite some time,” she said. “From a rural perspective, we believe there will be improvements in discharge planning, provide ease of continuity of care, better flow of information and provide improved people-centred care.”
GCHSA is managing a small waitlist, largely tied to staffing challenges in more remote parts of the county. Halloran said service gaps can also occur for reasons other than staffing levels, including weather-related conditions, staff on vacation or off due to illness, or client preferences.
One of the biggest challenges facing home support agencies in rural areas, she said, is geography. Guysborough County spans more than 4,000 square kilometres, making travel a daily reality for staff.
“GCHSA covers a large geographic area with minimal options for transportation. All home support employees must have access to a reliable vehicle on a daily basis, which could be a financial burden for recent graduates, new hires or people relocating to Guysborough County,” she said.
She also noted that new employees are initially hired as casual staff under their collective agreement, which can create additional recruitment challenges.
Provincial officials say the system is designed to reduce administrative burden on staff and help ensure care is delivered faster across the province.
In practical terms, Halloran said improved co-ordination could make a noticeable difference for clients and families relying on home care services, adding that the platform could also provide families with more transparency around scheduling and real-time updates on visits.
“GCHSA has an excellent rapport with its community-based care co-ordinators,” she said. “With the co-ordinators using the same system as GCHSA, the transfer of information will be smoother.”
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