cisss

Budget reductions: No positions cut at the CISSS 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – According to the three main unions representing healthcare workers in the Gaspé Peninsula, contrary to what is happening in other Integrated Health and Social Services Centres (CISSS) and Integrated University Health and Social Services Centres (CIUSSS) across the province, the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS has not cut any jobs as of yet. 

“Currently, the CISSS is not there yet. We are keeping our eyes open, but we are having discussions to see how we can be effective in managing the workforce, in compliance with the applicable collective agreements,” says Pier-Luc Bujold, President of the Eastern Quebec Nurses, Auxiliary Nurses and Respiratory Therapists Union. 

While no jobs have been cut, staffing shortages remain a significant issue, particularly in obstetrics. “This is not due to budgetary restrictions or directives from Santé Québec. This existed before Santé Québec,” notes the union representative. 

The challenge is to have enough staff to maintain activities in the emergency rooms and the use of external workers is necessary to keep all user services operational. 

“We are talking with the CISSS to see how to gradually reduce while respecting the teams in place. Our goal has always been to eradicate the independent workforce while avoiding service reductions,” emphasizes Mr. Bujold. 

A few nurses have left the agencies to join the CISSS workforce. The Gaspé network must free itself from the independent workforce by October 2026 at the latest. 

The Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS), which represents laboratory technicians, radiology technicians, public health workers and the Youth Protection Department, has also reported no job losses within its members 

“There has been no announcement of job cuts by the CISSS management. We have requested a meeting with the CEO and the director of human resources to inform us,” says the union’s regional spokesperson, Jenny Tardif. 

However, many departments represented by the APTS are also experiencing staff shortages. “We are already overdrawn. When we talk about youth centres, psychologists, nuclear medicine that is on life support, it is extremely difficult to cut people when we are already in a restricted position to offer service to the population,” notes Ms. Tardif. 

The APTS is monitoring what is happening in Lower Saint Lawrence while there is talk of closing the emergency rooms in Mont-Joli and Trois-Pistoles during the evenings and weekends. Discussions have already been held for the emergency services of the CLSCs of Paspébiac, Grande-Vallée and Murdochville. 

“We will monitor what is happening. It is essential that the population has access to these services. The population must be aware and monitor new developments because they are the ones who will suffer service cuts if necessary,” warns the union spokesperson. 

On the CSN side, which mainly represents support and administrative staff, union representatives, no job cuts have been reported either. 

For the current fiscal year, the use of independent labour to maintain services alone represents 400,000 hours of work and costs between $25 million and $30 million. 

So far, the CISSS has successfully hired 28 agency workers into permanent positions. 

Budget reductions: No positions cut at the CISSS  Read More »

International nurses arrive against a backdrop of racism 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – Over the weekend of February 15-16, twenty new international nurses arrived in the Gaspé Peninsula to lend a hand at the Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS), which is facing issues of a significant shortage of healthcare workers. 

Before practicing their trade, the nurses must complete a one-year refresher program at the Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles. 

This third cohort of international nurses is assigned to healthcare facilities in Gaspé and Maria. “With manpower needs everywhere, but more so in these two sectors. The accessibility of our modular accommodations facilitated the arrival and integration of these people are the factors that were taken into account,” says Jean-François Cassivi, Assistant to the Director of Human Resources at CISSS. 

The nurses come from Morocco, the Congo and Haiti. “It’s very diverse,” notes Mr. Cassivi. 

This cohort was recruited before the moratorium that no longer allows nurses to be recruited from certain African countries. 

About forty nurses were recruited in the first two cohorts. “The vast majority of people stayed with the CISSS de la Gaspésie. We’re very happy,” says Mr. Cassivi. 

These 60 or so caregivers have had a major impact on healthcare services offered in the Gaspé Peninsula. 

“These are resources that complement our work team. Since the student pool is not sufficient, we lack human resources at this level. It has become essential to seek this help,” explains the administrator. 

For the moment, there are no plans for a fourth cohort. “The work is being done with the Ministry of Immigration and Francisation. We are waiting for instructions for the next steps,” he says. 

On February 14, the daily newspaper Le Devoir reported cases of racism at the hospital involving some of these international nurses. 

“Without going into details, we have raised awareness. We are taking the situation seriously. We will have to intervene, have discussions with the people involved. For us, as an institution, racism in any form has a zero tolerance,” says Mr. Cassivi. 

He clarified that, while concerns have been raised, no concrete wrongdoing was found. “We did not have any clear evidence that would have led to reprimands. We do not want to remain on perceptions. We want to intervene so that there are no racist behaviours or actions,” says Mr. Cassivi. 

At the Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles, officials emphasize that such alleged incidents are rare 

The coordinating teacher at the CISSS has denounced the situation. “There were interventions that were made. The students also changed shifts. The situation has improved,” emphasized Éric Couillard, the coordinator of continuing education at the CEGEP, in an interview with CHNC. “The students have been very well received in the other internships in recent years. The staff is attentive,” he adds. 

International nurses arrive against a backdrop of racism  Read More »

Obstetrics service disruptions 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

SAINTE-ANNE-DES-MONTS – The prefect of the MRC of Haute-Gaspésie is concerned about a recent break in obstetric services at the Sainte-Anne-des-Monts hospital. 

After briefly resuming operations, the service was interrupted again from January 24 to February 13. 

The department had reopened on January 16 after a series of disruptions since December 22. 

“It’s a service that we managed to get back over the years that we can no longer do without. “Having an obstetrics department at the Hôpital des Monts is one of the factors that makes a region attractive,” says Guy Bernatchez, who regularly discusses the situation with the CISSS de la Gaspésie. 

“We must not forget that the department returned after a long battle. The discussion revolves around the situation that has arisen in recent months. The CISSS de la Gaspésie assures us that we are working to resolve the situation once and for all,” adds the prefect. 

The department was shut down from 2008 to 2012 due to a shortage of doctors. 

A committee has been formed to explore solutions, an initiative announced last November for the local network of Haute-Gaspésie and the Gaspé Peninsula region. 

“Solutions will be needed in terms of training the workforce specialized in obstetrics. If we have this problem, it is because the workforce is scarce and we need to find solutions to get to the source of the problem so that in the educational institutions we can make strides towards these areas,” says Mr. Bernatchez. “I dare to believe that we will find a solution with the committee set up,” he continues. 

The lack of nurses to staff the services is the primary reason for the breakdown. The department is expected to partially reopen on February 13 and 14, with an obstetrics resource on site. 

The Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) hopes that the department will be fully operational by February 15. 

Eight pregnant women are affected by the latest disruption and have been informed of the situation. 

The CISSS has implemented a service corridor with the Matane hospital centre, an hour’s drive from Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. “For women further west in the MRC, it may not be a problem to travel to Matane. But to the east of the MRC, the travel time can be up to two or two and a half hours to get to Matane. Touch wood. Two women have given birth outside the MRC since these service breaks and it went well. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for the future,” says Mr. Bernatchez. 

Pregnant women who wish to do so can obtain accommodation in Matane, and the CISSS is offering additional solutions to those who need them. 

The Sainte-Anne-des-Monts hospital must rely exclusively on independent workers to provide obstetrics services. 

Obstetrics service disruptions  Read More »

A family’s journey with Alzheimer’s 

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Holly Smith, LJI Journalist

NEW CARLISLE – Alzheimer’s disease is more than just statistics, it’s an emotional journey that profoundly impacts many families. According to Statistics Canada, approximately 750,000 Canadians are living with the disease, with 414 new cases diagnosed daily. Behind every number is a story of love, heartache, and strength. Amy Day’s is one such story. The young woman is bravely sharing her grandmother’s journey with Alzheimer’s on social media (Tiktok), vividly painting a picture of the pain and beauty that come with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. 

“When I was younger, I would sleep with my Nanny pretty much every night. My first memory of her would have to be her playing with my hair as I went to sleep while singing, You Are My Sunshine. We were each other’s sunshine and still are. We shared so many wonderful memories, from playing sports outside in the summer to fishing at Lac Duval and walking the beach to look for cool rocks. The list goes on. There’s nothing my Grandmother didn’t do for me,” she adds. 

However, in 2020, Amy noticed subtle changes in her grandmother. “I started noticing that she would repeat herself a lot. I was living in the city at the time, but would talk to her on the phone 99 times a day. She started to tell me the same stories over and over, and I’d have to say, ‘Nanny, you just told me that, remember?’ I think that’s when she realized it too. On my first vacation home after that, we went down to the beach for a walk. She told me the same story within a 20-minute span. I said, ‘Nanny, I really think something is wrong.’ She looked at me with nothing but heartbreak in her eyes and said, ‘I know,’ and we both cried.” 

The diagnosis brought waves of emotion. “It was hard. There was also a lot of guilt,” says Amy, who wondered if they should have brought her Nanny to the doctor sooner. During that period the family went through many emotions. “I was always so afraid to lose my grandmother; I just never thought I’d have to lose her in this way,” says Amy. 

Upon her grandmother’s diagnosis, the family immediately educated themselves on the disease. Amy’s family, including her grandfather and Aunt Selena, have been essential in caregiving. “My grandfather does everything now, along with Aunt Selena and myself. We have to make sacrifices, but it’s our turn to take care of her, just as she did for us our whole lives. My grandmother’s family doctor has been amazing in helping us through this process. She checks in on Nanny regularly and gives us the tools necessary to take care of her. At this point, we are her resources, and we’re doing the best we can,” states Amy. 

For families like Amy’s on the coast, the Société Alzheimer Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine (SAGIM) offers a lifeline. This organization provides tailored services to help those living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. Programs include personalized counselling, support groups, and workshops designed to manage the emotional and physical toll of caregiving. 

Other vital resources include the Centre d’action bénévole (CAB), which provides services such as transportation to medical appointments, friendly visits, and meal deliveries. The Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) also plays a significant role with its memory clinics. The Clinic provides specialized assessment and treatment for individuals 65+ and younger adults with cognitive disorders, focusing on maintaining autonomy and optimal functioning at home for as long as possible. To access memory clinic services, a doctor’s referral must be sent to the clinic’s liaison nurse. If you don’t have a family doctor, you can request assistance through the Chandler CLSC home care window. The clinical nurse will review your request and inform you of your eligibility. Multi-Services Corporation d’Aide is another essential resource in the region, committed to supporting the elderly and those losing their autonomy be helping them maintain their independence within their natural living environment. 

Despite the resources available, the personal impact of the disease is undeniable. Amy reflects on the changes in her relationship with her grandmother: “My grandmother raised me; she’s like my mother. She was my shoulder to cry on, the person I’d call when I needed someone. She was my rock. Not having that anymore has been so hard. She remembers my name sometimes, especially when I remind her, ‘Remember the little girl you raised, Nanny?’ and she’ll say, ‘Yes, Amy, she’s a good girl.’” 

Amy also cherishes the joyful moments that remain. “She has always had a great sense of humour, even now while fighting Alzheimer’s. She’s always cracking little jokes, singing, and dancing. I see her pretty much every day. Sometimes, she’ll ask me to lay in bed with her, and I do. I’ll sing to her, and she’ll fall right asleep. The roles have reversed, but the love is still there.” 

Amy offers a final piece of heartfelt advice to others in similar situations: “Please be patient and try your best to stay strong for them! When your loved one with Alzheimer’s repeats themselves, go with it. Listen to them. Even if it’s the same story over and over. Remember that love, it never dies. The feeling will always remain. When my Nanny sees me, even though she may not remember me, I know she remembers the love. I know she can feel it. Be with them until the very end.” 

A family’s journey with Alzheimer’s  Read More »

Gaspé Peninsula CISSS needs to reduce 160,000 working hours

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) is considering how to respond to the request to reduce hours worked by 3% in order to make up for part of Santé Québec’s shortfall. 

The organization calculates that this request represents 160,000 working hours, equivalent to 100 full-time positions. 

However, for the current year, the use of independent labour to maintain services alone represents 400,000 working hours and costs between $25 million and $30 million. 

In an email, the CISSS indicated that it is continuing its review of how to reorganize services to reduce hours worked, with the intention to prioritize a reduction in independent labour. 

This could ultimately result in a reduction in hours worked, without reducing the number of positions as is happening in other regions of Quebec. 

The review also involves maintaining a sufficient number of employees to provide services. 

Among other measures, a moratorium is underway on the posting of administrative positions which will lead to a reduction in hours worked. 

In addition, discussions are held every week with Santé Québec on the evolution of the financial situation and on the directions to take. 

The Gaspé Peninsula CISSS must recover $40 million by March 31 to meet the budgetary restraints requested by Quebec, which is the equivalent of a month and a half of activities. 

The President and CEO of the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS, Martin Pelletier, has already indicated that it was impossible to achieve this objective in the short time frame set out by the Quebec government. 

“I’ll tell you right away. It won’t be $40 million. It will be what we are able to do. Forty million dollars in five months would take drastic measures. We will not do that,” the leader said at the organization’s last board meeting at the end of November. 

Gaspé Peninsula CISSS needs to reduce 160,000 working hours Read More »

Obstetrics in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts: A situation that could happen elsewhere in the Gaspé 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

SAINTE-ANNE-DES-MONTS – A disagreement between the Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) and two independent labour nurses has led to service disruptions and shortages in the obstetrics department of the Sainte-Anne-des-Monts hospital since December 22. 

Two experienced nurses, who requested anonymity for fear of backlash, had been working at the Sainte-Anne-des-Monts hospital for two years through their respective agencies. 

The CISSS provided $120 per night to cover the costs of their accommodation. The presence of the two nurses kept the obstetrics service running. However, one nurse renting an AirBnB-type home revealed that her accommodation fees had not been paid since September 5, without having been notified of the situation. 

The nurses had been staying at the same residence since December 2022. Their accommodations were cancelled and the CISSS wanted to relocate them to an apartment, one where they wouldn’t be permitted pets or their spouses to stay with them, and they’d be sharing an apartment, similar to mining sector workers. 

One nurse expressed dissatisfaction with the arrangement, stating that she did not want to live in a community “…like when I was in CEGEP.” 

Moreover, the CISSS adopted such a policy last fall in order to reduce costs, which reach nearly half a million dollars per month to house independent workers. 

“There is something other than the situation mentioned,” says Yannick Sauvé, the director of procurement and logistics for the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS, who remains cautious given the confidentiality of workers’ files. 

“We do not take any decisions lightly. In this case, following an administrative investigation, we decided not to go ahead with what they were asking. We will take legal action to recover the overpaid amounts,” says Mr. Sauvé. 

The internal investigation had shown irregularities, without revealing specific details since the dispute could ultimately end up in court. 

“Yes, accommodation is changing. These are specific cases. To act as we are, we had judged that there was a major problem. It is not related to the accommodation policy. It is really a specific case related to these people,” he says, adding that exceptional measures could have been applied given the situation in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. Mr. Sauvé points out that full-time positions are open to join the team. 

“They chose to remain independent workers where the advantage is that we pay the entire rent. We have people who come to work here to cover all the costs. It’s a question of fairness,” says the manager. 

The Quebec government has granted a deadline until October 2026 to free the Gaspé network from independent workers. 

In addition to this particular situation in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS indicated that it was using 400,000 hours of work by independent workers to ensure continuity of care. 

A situation similar to that experienced in Haute-Gaspésie could arise in other establishments in the Gaspé Peninsula. 

“We are not here to put spokes in the wheels, but we have to think that it is $500,000 per month that we will save if we have our people full-time. $500,000 per month is care for the population. We do not do this lightly. We do it on a case-by-case basis because we do not want to cut off access to care,” says Mr. Sauvé. 

When questioned, Gaspé Member of the National Assembly Stéphane Sainte-Croix preferred not to comment on this specific case. 

However, he remains concerned about the eight service disruptions or interruptions in 2024. “I am very concerned. We are never reassured in front of our citizens during a service disruption. There is a particular situation for the repetition of service disruptions. We must question ourselves. We will try to understand the situation and address it to find a way out,” says Mr. Sainte-Croix. The obstetrics department in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts relies entirely on independent labour to remain operational, requiring six nurses to ensure optimal service. 

Obstetrics in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts: A situation that could happen elsewhere in the Gaspé  Read More »

CAQ MNAs defend Quebec’s budget cuts

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The Gaspé Peninsula’s Coalition Avenir Québec Members of the National Assembly are defending the budget cuts requested by the Quebec government in a mission to reduce the province’s deficit of $11 billion. 

The topic was debated in their report on the fall parliamentary session in Quebec City. 

The Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre was asked to reduce its budget by $40 million, while the School Service Centres received a request for an overall reduction of $200 million, in addition to the one concerning capital expenditures earlier this year. 

The Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Bonaventure, Catherine Blouin, notes that the budgetary situation dictates the decision. “We have a difficult budgetary situation. At some point, we have no choice but to do a rigorous exercise and say, no more cost overruns. We ask you to respect your budget,” she mentions in a review interview. 

Her colleague from Gaspé echoes the same sentiment. “There is no cut necessarily, but a request for respect and rigour. We hope that we will get there and good collaboration between stakeholders is necessary to get there,” adds Stéphane Sainte-Croix. 

The Bonaventure MNA mentions that the project to rebuild the emergency room and intensive care department at Maria Hospital is a path full of obstacles, but the file remains her priority for next year. 

She notes, in the last session, the $50 million invested on Highway 132, the $25 million on the Petit Pabos River bridge in Chandler, the $30 million on the English school in New Carlisle, and investments at the Bioparc. The MNA wanted to highlight the four medals awarded to four students from the Antoine-Bernard school in Carleton-sur-Mer after winning a culinary competition in Paris in July. 

“Young people in our riding are even more interested in cooking and food autonomy, in developing skills. I wanted to recognize that,” says Ms. Blouin. 

The Gaspé MNA wanted to highlight the work done by Jean Lapointe, who has been fighting for a decade for the establishment of hemodialysis services in the Gaspé Peninsula, who gave him a petition with 10,000 names this fall to demand a nephrologist in the Gaspé Peninsula. 

“The Commission (of Health and Social Services) will take up this at the beginning of the winter 2025 session. We will pay particular attention to the rest of the work. I am very happy to have carried out this project,” says Mr. Sainte-Croix. 

Among other issues, the tightening of admissions of foreign students should not have an impact on the Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles. According to Mr. Saint-Croix, the measure mainly targets urban institutions. 

In fisheries, the sector is not in its first crisis, but the recent aid to equip fishermen for the redfish fishery is a positive step forward. 

In wind power, with the recent challenges at LM Wind Power in Gaspé, the MNA is aware of the situation. 

Compliance with international trade agreements will dictate the path forward, but he remains convinced that the industry can benefit from it. 

CAQ MNAs defend Quebec’s budget cuts Read More »

CLSC EMERGEnCY DEPARTMENTS: A reassuring meeting for elected officials

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GRANDE-VALLÉE – The mayor of Grande-Vallée came away from a meeting with the president and CEO of the Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre is somewhat relieved regarding the fate of the CLSC emergency department in his town. 

Noël Richard had the opportunity to discuss the situation of the CLSC in his town with Martin Pelletier on December 11. “We met with Mr. Pelletier and asked him directly what this restructuring meant for us, in the Estran sector. We were very reassured. There is no question of a service disruption at our emergency department 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” says Mayor Richard. 

Even though measures were taken, the mayor was assured that the service would remain. “Our population will continue to have the services. This is very good news,” continued Mr. Richard. 

A communication channel was established after the mayor learned of ongoing discussions about how services might be delivered. The emergency room in Grande-Vallée serves the population between Sainte-Anne-des-Monts and Gaspé. From Grande-Vallée, the closest hospitals are 100 kilometres away. 

“At the CISSS level, they are aware of this. If different options were available, we asked to work in collaboration with them,” says the mayor. 

This clarification made to elected officials follows a hypothesis launched by Mr. Pelletier following the Integrated Health and Social Services (CISSS) board of directors meeting of November 28 in the wake of the requested budgetary adjustments of $40 million to fit into the budget allocated by the Quebec government. 

The CEO had clearly stated that he was not considering reviewing the 24/7 emergency services in Grande-Vallée, Paspébiac and Murdochville. 

Instead, he had mentioned as a possible solution the use of nursing assistants attached to teleconsultation nurses to provide care. The mayor of Grande-Vallée had stated that if a nurse had to leave by ambulance for Gaspé, this would be equivalent to a breakdown in service. 

The prefect of the MRC de la Côte-de-Gaspé also attended the meeting. “It’s good news that there are no cuts in small emergencies and services to the population,” says Daniel Côté, who is also mayor of Gaspé. 

However, the Mr. Côté expressed disappointment over delayed infrastructure projects, such as the birthing room at the Maison de la famille Parenfant in Gaspé. 

“If the CISSS’s share is not there, the project must be postponed. It’s really a shame to see these projects from the community being postponed. There are other infrastructure projects directly in the hospital environment that must be postponed. This is a big downside. 

CLSC EMERGEnCY DEPARTMENTS: A reassuring meeting for elected officials Read More »

Stéphane Sainte-Croix attentive to the $40 million in cuts requested by the CISSS

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The Gaspé Member of the National Assembly (MNA) will work to ensure that Santé Québec and the Quebec government take into account the specificities of the Gaspé in the context of the $40 million budget cuts requested from the Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre. 

Stéphane Sainte-Croix reacts this way to the reflection launched by the CISSS on ways to maintain the emergency services at Grande-Vallée, Murdochville and Paspébiac CLSCs 24/7. 

The CISSS is analyzing the idea of replacing nurses with auxiliary nurses who would be linked to remote nurses to maintain the care offered at these establishments. Grande-Vallée Mayor Noël Richard indicated that when a nurse is mobilized in a facility transfer, this would be equivalent to a service interruption in his facility, which he describes as unthinkable in his community. 

He points out that the closest hospitals are more than 100 kilometres from Grande-Vallée. 

The Québec government has assured the public that the financial cuts would not result in a reduction in patient services. “The minister was clear on this. We are sensitive to the issue. Once the recommendations are known, we will take note of them and do our work to ensure that the service offer is maintained,” says Mr. Sainte-Croix. 

The MNA indicated that he wanted to give the CISSS time to carry out its exercise to recover the requested amounts. 

“We will work to maintain the service offer. If it requires us to review the effort in terms of rigour, we will be happy to support our CISSS, but let’s give management time to do its exercise and, from there, we can establish our scenario and the work that will come to maintain our service offering,” he says. 

Mr. Sainte-Croix understands the particularities of the region, especially the distance to travel to have access to care and the fact that there is no major service hub. 

“There is a question of cost behind the territory and the service offering. We dare to hope that the particularities will be recognized for the future,” mentions the MNA. 

As for the specific CLSC file, Mr. Sainte-Croix is concerned. “We will remember that this is not the first time that we have had a reflection at this level. We will let the CISSS do its exercise. For the moment, we are listening. We are aware of the issues and we are very sensitive to the issue.” 

Stéphane Sainte-Croix attentive to the $40 million in cuts requested by the CISSS Read More »

CISSS Cutbacks: CLSC emergency rooms in the territory will remain open

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) assures that it will not close the 24/7 emergency rooms at the Grande-Vallée, Murdochville and Paspebiac CLSCs, despite their low attendance at night. 

Martin Pelletier, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS, emphasized that no such closures are being considered as the network scrambles to find $40.7 million in savings to meet a $535 million budget. “We are not there. We are really not there,” says Mr. Pelletier. 

This CLSC emergency room question regularly comes up in the news. In 2013, before the creation of the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS, the former regional health and social services agency of the Gaspésie conducted a review that included the issue. It was mentioned in 2017 following the Barrette reform, which had once again caused discontent among the population. 

“Can we review the use of resources from these less busy emergency rooms to help other busier emergency rooms at the same time?” wonders Mr. Pelletier, considering that a doctor and a nurse are on site while the volume of activity is lower. 

“Another thing we can look at is: do we always need a nurse or could we use a nursing assistant in a network where there is not a lot of night volume? But (the nursing assistant) would be affiliated with a nurse who is already working (at another location) and able to be in contact if a case requires the judgment of a nurse. This is another example of transformation work,” he says. The union will have to be involved. 

The overall labour shortage situation is forcing the region’s health network to explore this avenue. “We’re going to have to look. It’s not just a question of budget, it’s a question of survival and maintaining services and the ability to find resources to offer these services. Even if I had the budget, the problem is finding the resources. Changing our ways of doing things is essential to the survival and sustainability of services,” says Mr. Pelletier. 

This hypothesis, raised following the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS board of directors meeting on November 28, is not being well-received by the Eastern Quebec Nurses, Auxiliary Nurses and Respiratory Therapists Union. 

“It’s a complete rejection,” says union president Pier-Luc Bujold. “The population has the right to quality service, professional service and we cannot, to a certain extent, replace a nurse with a nursing assistant,” he adds. 

He provides examples of administering medication in an emergency or managing triage, which could not be done by a nursing assistant. 

“In terms of collective agreements, it doesn’t hold water and, logically, it doesn’t hold water to send a nurse from Grande-Vallée to work in Gaspé,” says the president. 

According to him, these measures would not be attractive and could harm staff retention. “We have already expressed our concerns about this and the CEO tells us that nothing will be done in this regard without having discussions with us and that it holds water. For us, it doesn’t hold water,” says the union representative. 

Former Gaspé Member of the National Assembly, Gaétan Lelièvre, who fought for the survival of the services in 2017 believes that the CISSS is not on the right track with the idea of changing the teams to offer these services. 

Mr. Lelièvre notes that this is a security issue. “This is a decrease in the level of security of the population. Political and economic stakeholders must send a very clear message to Quebec: we do not accept these service cuts,” says the former minister responsible for the regions in the Marois government between 2012 and 2014. 

He points out that health is a basic condition for regional development. “We know that the government has an $11 billion deficit to wipe out, but we cannot accept that this is in services as essential as a CLSC that serves communities 100 kilometres from a hospital. This is unacceptable,” continues the man who is now a regional development advisor. 

For his part, Noël Richard, the mayor of Grande-Vallée, fears service disruptions in the emergency room if the CISSS was to go ahead with this idea. He notes that if a nurse has to go with a patient to the Gaspé hospital, the service would be in danger. 

“Because we have a shortage of manpower, we would be in temporary service disruption. This is unacceptable,” thunders Mr. Richard. In his eyes, such a cut is non-negotiable, especially since several concessions have been made in recent years on health issues. 

“The conversion of ambulance drivers from shift schedules to hourly schedules was not included in this program. We also made concessions on community dentistry, but I will not make any concessions on such an essential service,” added the municipal elected official. 

CISSS Cutbacks: CLSC emergency rooms in the territory will remain open Read More »

Quickly cutting $40M from the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS will be difficult

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre is still facing a $50 million deficit for the fiscal year ending March 31. The organization, however, is focusing on recovering the $40.7 million demanded by the Ministry of Health, mentioned the President and CEO Martin Pelletier following the board of directors meeting on November 28. 

For the moment, there are no plans to cut jobs. “We are not there, and we are not at a  hiring freeze for nurses. We are Some services under development will be reviewed to assess whether they should be maintained. 

Several measures are being analyzed to meet the requirements by March. “I will tell you right away. It will not be $40 million. It will be what we can do. Forty million dollars in five months would take drastic measures. We will not do that,” says the manager. The independent workforce alone represents about $25 million of the projected deficit. 

One example of a measure is to review the housing supply for the independent workforce. Currently, the ratio is one worker per housing unit. “We will implement a measure that will put two or three independent workers in a dwelling, for apartments with several bedrooms, which would eliminate dwellings,” says the president and chief executive officer (CEO). 

This measure could generate savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Mr. Pelletier is not concerned that some workers may refuse to come to the region. “Maybe. On the other hand, we are aligning ourselves with other regions. They (health workers from outside) do not come for vacations. Winter is less attractive than summer in the Gaspésie. We have a choice to make and this is an example of a hypothesis that does not affect care,” he says. 

The preliminary studies to launch the engineering work for the emergency and intensive care units at the Maria hospital cannot begin before April 1 due to a lack of funds. 

“We have no guarantee that the project will be included in the PQI (Quebec’s Infrastructure Program) in the next year. The guarantee we have is that we will do the studies next year and if the emergency project is only in a year, it will not prevent us from moving forward. It was an idea to get ahead of things by thinking that the project would be announced next April. We will start in April using independent nursing workers. The idea is to hire nurses to replace them. What we are going to do is not develop new services so we won’t have to create new positions for which we will not be able to respond,” says Martin Pelletier. 

and we will have the year to do the analysis if the emergency project arrives in 2026,” analyzes the President and CEO. 

The MRCs of Bonaventure and Avignon maintain that the project is essential for the Bay of Chaleur area. 

“There were promises made. We have been waiting for more than 15 years. We reiterate that the emergency is in the PQI,” says Bonaventure Prefect Éric Dubé. 

“It is a $100 million project. We estimate that for $250,000, we must find solutions to not delay this project. It’s a relatively small amount on the CISSS and health system budget. We have to find solutions,” mentions his colleague from Avignon, Mathieu Lapointe. 

The elected officials will meet Martin Pelletier on December 11. However, one must not have any illusions. 

“I’m going to tell them the same thing that I just explained. The relevance of the project is recognized. The problem is Quebec’s financial capacity to put this project in the PQI. It’s not at our level. It’s going to happen. When? That’s the question,” says Mr. Pelletier.

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Gaspé Peninsula CISSS must find $40.7M before March 31

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

Integrated Health and Social Services Centres (CISSS) must find a way to recover a $40.7 million cost overrun in a budgetary effort requested by the Quebec government on a budget of $535 million. 

This represents 8% of its $535 million budget and must be achieved by March 31 which will be a major challenge, a goal that the Union of Nurses, Auxiliary Nurses and Respiratory Therapists of Eastern Quebec calls unrealistic. 

“That’s the target. As a manager and government employee, that’s the target. I have to implement the mechanisms to achieve it. Afterwards, I will be judged on the achievement of results. This is a big chunk to take on for the few months I’m given. The message is very clear: the budget must stop swelling. The idea is to respect the budgets we’re going to be given,” explains President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Martin Pelletier. 

The requested amount represents approximately 1.5 months of CISSS’ operating costs. 

In a situation where the costs of supplies, medications and the application of the latest collective agreements have a direct impact on the budget, the order looks set to be even more difficult for the future. 

“These are elements that add pressure to the system. Normally, these costs related to inflation are subsidized. This year, as such, it’s not. Not up to the cost increases. From there, it’s a pressure that follows us,” mentions Mr. Pelletier. 

Four main areas have been identified to achieve the objective: rigour and management rights over staff in order to recover everything that could be done and over supplies; a freeze to increase or develop services; optimizing operations and reviewing the service offering to see if it is adapted to needs. 

Considering the Gaspé Peninsula has one of the oldest populations in Quebec and given the distances to travel to receive care, the CISSS plans to highlight these unique challenges to the Quebec government. 

“Certainly, this must be taken into account. We have small teams in large territories that we must keep in place to ensure continuity of services. These are assets that we want to keep. On this, there are no major compromises. This is well understood by Santé-Québec. We will see if there are adjustments that will be granted,” hopes the President and CEO. 

Despite this budgetary reshuffle, Mr. Pelletier affirms that care for the population will not be affected. 

“There will be things that will be transformed. We look first at where we have room in the activities we do that do not affect services. When we get there, it will be a review that will take into account the needs of the population. A review that is necessary given the province’s ability to pay,” says Mr. Pelletier. 

The use of independent labour accounts for $25 to $30 million of the $40.7 million to be recovered. “This must be taken into account. It is not a simple formula to say that we stop using independent labour. The consequences are harmful. We use it because we have needs to fill teams, to maintain services. The withdrawal of independent labour would mean that we would have to close services,” he says. The CISSS must free itself from independent labour on October 18, 2026. 

“Our budget balance plan was initially over three years because it gave us time to recruit and transform things to be able to eliminate it as much as possible,” says Mr. Pelletier. 

In terms of infrastructure, projects to modernize care units are suspended for the moment. 

“We see ourselves having to endure obsolescence for longer in certain sectors. I’m thinking of the Youth Centre in Gaspé that was in the pipeline. It’s unfortunate to see that it will be on hold longer than expected. For the next year and a half, there will be a slowdown in this area,” he says. 

The union believes that it is unrealistic to compress the budget so quickly, citing as an example what will happen during the holiday season. 

“We are on the eve of a difficult period. The holiday season creates a lot of difficulties with replacements, a colossal force to keep services open 24/7. There is a lot of overtime and mandatory overtime. It is a period that costs a lot of money to provide service to the population. It is completely disconnected that Santé-Québec gives the CISSS and CIUSSS a goal of recovering significant amounts in three and a half months,” notes the union president, Pier-Luc Bujold. 

Senior management met with the union to inform it that no compensation reduction will affect staff directly, However, the union fears that management will apply new provisions of the new collective agreement to achieve financial goals. 

The coming years will not be rosy as Quebec must review its expenses following an $11 billion deficit. 

“The Santé-Québec megastructure will not be a measure to really save costs,” says Mr. Bujold, who invites the CISSS to review the use of independent labour. 

“There is still unjustified use (of independent labour) on our territory. For several months, we have been asking the CISSS de la Gaspésie to save money without affecting the members we represent,” says the union representative. 

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Concerns about the quality of service at the future Gaspé blood testing centre 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

 GASPÉ – Users of the Côte-de-Gaspé local health network are concerned about the quality of services at the future blood testing and vaccination centre that will soon be operating at a shopping centre in Gaspé. 

Patients feel that the chosen location, the Place Jacques-Cartier shopping centre, “is not very healthy” and that parking there is already very difficult. 

It is also noted that the escalators providing access to the upper floors are often out of service. Others mentioned that the elevator would not allow paramedics to evacuate patients from this location. Hemodialysis care activist Jean Lapointe had already expressed reservations about the development of the centre in a commercial complex, questioning the quality of the services that will be offered there due to these issues. 

At the Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS), spokesperson Lou Landry wrote by email that “the owner of Place Jacques-Cartier has added parking spaces for people with disabilities, and the elevator is accessible. The Gaspé Peninsula CISSS places great importance on the accessibility of the location it uses and will continue to evaluate all possible options to improve this situation, according to the needs of the population,” states the email. 

The CISSS explains that the transfer from the hospital centre to the new site is necessary because the spaces currently used will be required to provide patient care. The e dubbed a “multi-service centre” by Quebec last spring aims to create a service hub in a single location. In addition to Gaspé, the CISSS is targeting similar sites in Paspebiac, Grande-Rivière, Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Pointe-à-la-Croix and New Richmond. 

In the Quebec government plan, these sites will offer vaccinations, blood tests and screening services. The Quebec government believes that the establishment of these centres will improve access to preventive health services. 

Paying to get care 

A patient who requested anonymity for the moment deplores being forced to pay for travel expenses between the Bay of Chaleur and Gaspé to receive care specific to his condition. The individual must travel 372 kilometres round trip to obtain recurring treatment. However, the travel does not fit into the pilot project launched in the spring to support people who travel more than 200 kilometres to receive a series of treatments for the same care on a three-month basis. 

The patient mentioned that the treatment was recurrent, but administered as needed. He received treatment in May and again in August, exceeding the three-month limit. 

The person appealed to the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS Complaints Commissioner to try to draw attention to his situation. 

The CISSS responded that the formula was more generous than elsewhere in Quebec and that an analysis would be conducted at the end of the project, on March 31, adding that no further developments were planned.  

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CISSS announces a record deficit of $55M 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) is heading towards a large deficit of $55 million to $57 million for the current fiscal year, which ends March 31, 2025. This deficit is much higher than the $33 million projected in June. 

“The province has a deficit of $11 billion, of that, $1 billion is allocated to the health network. We’re expecting that funding we’ve had in the past will not be renewed, which will have a major impact,” says Martin Pelletier, President and Chief Executive Operator (CEO). 

“There is $22 million that we were expecting from funding that will not come. This is an added pressure for us. We have a smaller budget than in previous years. We will have to deal with it,” he says. 

Santé Québec, the new agency that will oversee all activities related to the public healthcare system, including providing services and facilitating access, will begin its mandate on December 1. That agency will manage a single consolidated budget. 

“We will see how we, as a network, will face the challenge of a billion dollars,” says Mr. Pelletier. 

The CISSS submitted a $35 million balanced budget plan, a legacy of the last fiscal year, but has yet to receive a response from the Quebec government. 

According to the CISSS, there are no planned cuts to services. “We’re maintaining services. Honestly, my concern is to maintain services based on human resources. It’s not a financial issue. As long as we can call on the independent workforce that accounts for $30 million of the deficit to maintain services, we’ll do it,” assures the CEO. 

The President and CEO of Santé-Québec, Geneviève Biron, recently visited the Gaspé Peninsula CISSS, where the CEO emphasized the unique characteristics of the regional health network. 

“We were able to explain the realities of our region in relation to the size of the territory and the dispersion of users. We don’t have a concentration that allows us to optimize services that much. I think that was well understood,” notes Mr. Pelletier. 

The Gaspé Peninsula is different from other regions such as the North Shore or Abitibi-Témiscamingue, which have major hubs such as Baie-Comeau, Sept-Îles, Rouyn-Noranda and Val-d’Or. 

“There is a volume that is possible there, that is not possible here,” justifies Mr. Pelletier, even if Maria (hospital) serves a significant population base. 

The fact that patients from Avignon-Ouest are assigned to the hospital in Campbellton is another unique aspect of the Gaspesian network. 

Martin Pelletier explained that these patients wanted to maintain their connection with the hospital in New Brunswick. However, there are also new challenges that need to be addressed. 

“For the past two years, there has been no obstetrics, and there has been a shift of births to the Maria (hospital) side. There’s also a loss of confidence that I don’t want to explain, and people are bypassing Campbellton to come to Maria. There’s $2 million that is explained by an increase in the volume of activity in Maria, in response to the citizen’s wishes,” explains the CEO. 

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End of independent workforce: CISSS prepares a plan to maintain services

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

CHANDLER – The Quebec government’s plan to gradually eliminate independent healthcare workers could lead to reduced services in the Gaspé Peninsula.

The Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centres (CISSS) is developing a plan in the event that the 200 agency workers who work for the organization are no longer present in October 2026, the deadline for ensuring the transition (away from agency workers) in the region.

The increasingly restrictive rules that will apply in the coming months raise concerns about the availability of resources to fill uncovered shifts. “If people from agencies are less interested in coming to the region, we could have needs that remain unmet and that would put us at a greater risk. That’s why we are looking at a critical services plan and being able to identify people in our organization to maintain these critical services. That would mean that other services would have to be slowed down to maintain critical services. It’s a plan. We want to prepare for the worst. We don’t want to be forced to deploy it, but we have to think about it to maintain 24/7 services,” says President and Chief Executive Officer Martin Pelletier.

Before getting to that point, the CISSS will attempt to recruit agency staff, particularly with the new working conditions established in recent collective agreements.

“We will solicit them to see if they would be interested in becoming employees of the CISSS de la Gaspésie. Some are in the region, but there are some in urban centres. It’s a big life choice to say that we’re moving to another region. We’re going to submit the new conditions to them. We’re able to show them what’s available now and they’ll be able to compare what they do in their agencies. They’ll understand that the network is becoming interesting in terms of money,” believes the CEO. So far, one or two people have chosen to work for the CISSS on their own.

Although about 80 international nurses will eventually join the workforce, the CISSS will not make any net gains. “We still have a large turnover of people retiring and we have many who are not very far from retirement. We’re in the process of making these projections. We hope the gap will be positive. It will all depend on the number of people we can retain from outside nurses,” says Mr. Pelletier, who also hopes that some individuals will delay their retirement.

The CISSS is registered for a third international cohort expected next spring. According to Mr. Pelletier, about twenty new candidates could move to the region.

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