For the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), the measures announced today by the government to respond to the overcrowding of health and social services facilities are nothing new. The CSN calls for in-depth changes, in order to ensure the sustainability of the network. That includes 100 per cent public services.
“Today’s announcements aren’t changing the main problems concerning labour shortage, Quebec’s delay in home support, the lack of hospital beds, the lack of places in CHSLDs, or the under -funding of some services,” said Caroline Senneville, president of the CSN.
“To strengthen access to the most important, and ensure each patient sees the right professional, we must rely on CLSCs,” she added. “Over the years, CLSDs have been butchered in their mission. That’s why we’re having those problems today. Family Medicine Groups (FMG) are private companies. They’ll never be able to offer multidisciplinary teams everywhere in the province, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Yet, that’s what must be done to reduce the pressure in the establishments.”
The CSN doesn’t believe the government’s making the right choice by entrusting even more accommodation spaces to the private sector. On the contrary, those needs will have to convince the government to create new places in public CHSLDs.
The CSN regrets the government is still pushing back the shift toward home care. The inability of public’s network to provide the necessary services undoubtedly contributes to the congestion of the system we’re currently witnessing. Also, home support services are much less expensive than long-term accommodation. The CSN also believes we must focus more on prevention and social services, particularly with regard to mental health. (J.L-B\IJL)
translated by Alec Brideau
