By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
On Dec. 4, a videoconference brought together representatives from over fifteen citizen groups, vigilance committees, and local health and social services advocacy movements, gathered to address the challenges posed by the Bill 15 overhaul of the health and social services network, with a particular emphasis on fostering meaningful citizen participation.
Among them was the Memphrémagog Health and Social Services Vigilance Committee (MHSSVC), stressing the importance of citizen involvement and local governance when considering changes to the health and social services network.
A critical aspect of Bill 15 under scrutiny is the proposed replacement of current boards of directors with advisory councils. The specifics of these councils, including appointment procedures, remain undefined. The bill has also drawn criticism for its near omission of social services and home care, focusing predominantly on structural changes rather than service enhancement.
According to a press release published by MHSSVC , these concerns are resonating throughout various regions of Quebec, including Gaspésie, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Outaouais, Montérégie, Mauricie and Central Quebec, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Chaudière-Appalaches, and Estrie. Centralized services shifting to urban centers have sparked a widespread outcry over the diminishing access to local healthcare and social services. Examples abound, from the dilapidating hospital in Drummondville to service relocations impacting Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Sorel-Tracy, the MRC des Collines, Papineau in Outaouais, La Pocatière, Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Amqui, and Estrie.
The recent videoconference, convened by prominent organizations such as the Alliance of Patients for Health and the Quebec Group of Physicians for the Decentralization of the Health System, resulted in the formation of a working group. This group aims to create a collaborative platform enabling various groups to work together effectively.
Jean-Guy Gingras and Michel Bissonnette, co-chairs of the MHSSVC, expressed hope that this meeting is the genesis of a province-wide citizen movement advocating for improved social and health services. They emphasized the necessity of collective action, asserting that reform must address the acute needs of local populations facing inadequate home care and insufficient medical and social services. Their message is clear: citizen involvement is crucial in shaping decisions that impact everyday lives, a sentiment echoed throughout Quebec as it struggles with the process of significant health sector reform.
In a Dec. 12 interview, Gingras, on behalf of the MHSSVC, expressed a cautious stance towards Bill 15. Despite acknowledging the need for change given the system’s 60-year struggle with various issues, the committee remains vigilant against potential negative impacts similar to those experienced subsequent to the Barrette reform of 2015.
In a recent meeting, the committee discussed the provisions of Bill 15, with particular emphasis on ensuring services are offered in native languages. The committee’s communications head had previously summarized the bill, highlighting areas needing closer attention.
Starting January, the committee will see a new co-presidency involving Gingras and Bissonnette, a significant figure in health advocacy, a former member of the Alliance des Aînés, and an analyst of Bill 15. Their combined expertise is expected to guide the committee’s approach to the upcoming changes.
A key concern for the committee is the centralization of healthcare administration, a trend previously resisted in Memphrémagog and other regions. Past reforms, such as the Barrette reform, had led to a centralization of decision-making, which the committee fought to decentralize to ensure local needs were met effectively. The group fears that Bill 15 might inadvertently lead to similar centralization, particularly concerning emergency room treatments and overall healthcare management.
“Now, what we want is for someone [to be] in place to be able to make daily [local] decisions,” Gingras emphasized.
Gingras noted decisions taken far from the affected communities often fail to address their specific needs. He pointed out past instances where local directors could not make timely decisions, leading to delays and inefficiencies.
Despite these concerns, the committee sees potential positive changes, like the streamlined decision-making process proposed in Bill 15, where regional directors could have more direct communication lines with higher administration levels. This change could result in quicker and more effective responses to local healthcare needs.
“[This is a point on which] we’re heading in the right direction,” Gingras said.
The committee plans to maintain a monthly dialogue with the vice-president of the CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS, ensuring that regional concerns and issues are regularly addressed. They aim to make sure that the implementation of Bill 15 does not negatively impact the accessibility and quality of healthcare services in the Memphrémagog region and beyond.