SOS Outaouais

CLSC in Low saved

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By Trevor Greenway

The Low CLSC has been spared. It will not close, and it will not be reduced to one day a week, according to the CISSS de l’Outaouais (CISSSO). 

The CLSC in Low was, at one point this spring, on the chopping block to either close or reduce its hours to just one day a week. However CISSSO has confirmed to the Low Down that “there is no change to the CLSC’s service offer” in Low. 

“Local services are important to the population, especially those on the outskirts of urban areas. We are working to maintain them,” Santé Québec spokesperson Marianne Paquette told the Low Down.

This welcome but surprising decision to keep the Low CLSC open comes as part of a wider announcement by Santé Québec that that the initial $90 million that CISSSO was mandated to cut from its budget has been slashed in half – down to $45 million. With CISSSO having already cut $60 million from its budget in January, no more funding cuts are coming to the Outaouais. 

“The CISSS de l’Outaouais has a budget optimization target of $45 million. Given that we have already implemented measures to meet the objectives of the last financial period, no further measures will be implemented in terms of job cuts or major reorganizations,” Santé Québec spokesperson Qeren Boua told the Low Down in an email. “As our efforts in the last period amounted to almost 60 million, the remaining dollars will be used to absorb, among other things, the cost of inflation.”

In mid-March, CISSSO cut $60 million from its budget in an effort to help Santé Québec to slash $1.5 billion from its healthcare network. Those cuts came in the form of 800 health positions being abolished – a majority of them vacant jobs. The actual job cuts were around 100 staff, mostly in administrative positions. Santé Québec’s latest budget will see it cut $1 billion from its health network instead of $1.5 billion.

Paquette said that the province’s centralized health department is using three criteria to finalize and “optimize” budgets across regions, with tightening spending at the forefront. 

Paquette said her agency will have a “complete and more accurate picture of the situation” once its audited financial statements for Santé Québec are approved by its board of directors in June. 

MRC Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Prefect Chantal Lamarche told the Low Down in April that she would “refuse” to see the Low CLSC close. After hearing about Santé Québec’s budget revisions this week, she was much happier.

“This is excellent news for our community, and I would like to highlight the work done in collaboration with the CISSSO to get to this point,” wrote Lamarche in an email. “I remain committed to defending the accessibility and quality of health services in our region.” 

Despite slashing the amount of what needed to be cut in half, advocates say they worry about the current state of healthcare in the region, as a cut of $45 million still puts the Outaouais far below funding compared to other regions of Quebec. 

“Reducing from $90 million to $45 million is not a victory; it is proof that the initial approach lacked nuance and would have unfairly impacted an already vulnerable region,” said SOS Outaouais spokesperson Jean Pigeon in a statement last week. 

He noted that the Observatoire de développement de l’Outaouais has estimated that the Outaouais region faces a funding shortfall of $180 million when compared to other regions in Quebec. 

“It is imperative that the government finally take our regional realities into account,” he said.

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Prefect says she will fight for Low CLSC

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By Trevor Greenway

Chantal Lamarche says that she will do everything in her power to save the Low CLSC from closure. 

The MRC Vallée-de-la-Gatineau prefect said that she has been told by the CISSS de l’Outaouais (CISSSO) that the up-the-line clinic is on the chopping block and could be closed for good, as the regional health authority looks to cut another $30 million from its budget. 

“As [prefect], I refuse to see the disappearance of this local service, which is essential to our community,” wrote Lamarche in an email to the Low Down. “The building also houses home-care nurses, making it a critical point for our citizens. The chronic underfunding of the Outaouais for over 40 years must end. We demand that decisions take into account the reality of our territories.”

The Low CLSC has already been slashed down to one day a week, which has impacted Low residents, many of whom are elderly and immobile and can’t travel to Wakefield or Maniwaki to see a doctor. Lamarche said she is pressuring the CAQ government to “review these cuts and take into account the specific needs of the region.”

“It is imperative that alternative solutions be considered to ensure adequate funding and effective management of resources, thereby ensuring access to quality healthcare for all Outaouais residents,” she said.

CISSSO CEO Marc Bilodeau refused to comment on the potential closure and directed the Low Down to Santé Quebec for comment. Representatives of Quebec’s new non-partisan health department would not grant an interview and instead sent a statement saying that no decisions have been made on the closure of CLSCs in the province. 

“No changes are currently planned for the services offered at the various CLSCs,” wrote Santé Quebec’s media relations department. “Local services are important to the population, particularly those on the outskirts of urban areas. We are working to maintain them, despite the current difficult budgetary context.”

That “difficult budgetary context” is Santé Quebec’s austerity measures, in which it is looking to slash $1.5 billion from the province’s health budget by spring. The CISSSO already cut 800 health positions in the region earlier this spring. Another $30 million still needs to be cut from the CISSSO budget, which is why CLSCs in places like Low could be on the chopping block. 

SOS Outaouais’ Jean Pigeon told the Low Down that because CISSSO already cut services back to one day a week at the Low CLSC, patient numbers will naturally be down. The president of the regional health advocacy group said he worries CISSSO will use this data to show that the clinic isn’t getting used and therefore should be closed. 

“They test it, and then they say, ‘Well, nobody’s going to this point anymore.’ Of course! You’ve closed four days out of five days which you were open,” said Pigeon. “If there’s fewer services to offer, of course there’ll be less people that can use them. And then you shut it down, claiming that there’s no demand. It’s nonsense.”

Low seniors worry about home care 

With the potential closure of the CLSC in Low, seniors are beginning to worry if they will still be able to rely on home-care nurses who are based out of the clinic. Interim director-general of the Paugan Falls Seniors’ Residence Colette Canavan told the Low Down that she worries that it won’t be feasible for some seniors to grow old in Low. With an aging population, she doesn’t know where many of them will go. 

“What’s going to happen now with the cutbacks in home care, which they’ve cut a lot?” said Canavan.  “We’re going to see residents – seniors who are autonomous, but who need help – we’re going to see a possibility of having to say, ‘Sorry, you have to leave.’ So this is far more serious than what first appeared.”

Low council passed a resolution in late March decrying the cuts and demanding a meeting with local officials, including the region’s MNA, Robert Bussière. The motion touches on the potential closure, as well as language barriers for local residents. 

“[Low] stands united with its citizens in protesting these cuts and commits to advocating to the future well-being of all residents, ensuring transparency and proper communication regarding any proposed changes to local services,” the motion read. It was passed at Low’s council meeting on March 25 . 

Gatineau MNA Bussière did not respond to the Low Down’s questions. It’s unclear if he responded to Low council. 

Prefect says she will fight for Low CLSC Read More »

Job losses ‘unavoidable’ in round two of health cuts

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By Trevor Greenway

After slashing 800 health positions across the Outaouais, the head of CISSSO says that he still needs to cut an additional $30 million from its budget, money that will “certainly” result in more job losses. 

The CISSSO was mandated by the province’s new health department, Santé Québec, to slash $90 million from its budget in an overall effort to cut $1.5 billion from the province’s health sector by April 1. Last week, CISSSO announced it was cutting 800 health jobs as part of the cuts. However, CISSSO CEO Marc Bilodeau told the Low Down on March 20 that those cuts only represented two-thirds – $60 million of budget cuts – with an additional $30 million coming down the pike. 

“I think it’s unavoidable,” said Bilodeau when asked if the next round of cuts will result in job losses.  “Because 70 per cent of my expenditures are related to human resources, so expecting to cut without impacting positions is almost impossible.”  

While many of the 800 positions cut last week were vacant, with 104 personnel losing their jobs, Bilodeau says the next round of budget cuts will be especially difficult. He said the first round of cuts was focused on the “easy stuff,” like abolishing vacant positions. He admitted that there would be an impact on residents. He added that not all of the impacts of the cuts would be bad. 

“There would be some impact, but impact doesn’t mean, necessarily, negative impact,” said Bilodeau. “So it could have an impact on how the care is delivered but not necessarily on the amount of care being delivered.”

Dr. Bilodeau used the example of adapting patients with “very common mental health problems” into group therapy settings rather than one-on-one sessions: “I can have 10 patients in the same room with one healthcare provider, and I can do, basically, 10 times more than what I would do with a one-on-one intervention.” He added that managing hours, morale and work-life balance for front-line staffers will be key to moving forward successfully. 

Bilodeau said about two-thirds of the 104 health jobs cut in the region are front-line staff positions, but he added that many have been offered other positions “in more critical areas of our healthcare system.” 

SOS Outaouais president Jean Pigeon told the Low Down that, while the 800 job losses aren’t as dire as recent headlines suggest, the fact that over 600 vacant positions won’t be renewed kills any chance of recruiting more doctors, nurses or medical technicians to an already underfunded health region. According to the Observatoire de développement de l’Outaouais, it has estimated that the Outaouais region faces a funding shortfall of $180 million when compared to other regions in Quebec. 

“We need to point our fingers at the government here,” said Pigeon. “They are the ones who are making these decisions. And clearly this is not Mr. Bilodeau’s fault. It’s just going to create an overwhelming burden again in the workplace environment. Can we really let go of people that we need in a network that is underfunded and understaffed? No, it’s just chaotic.”

Three full-time positions abolished in Des Collines

According to health watchdog group Vigi Santé, the cuts will be felt locally, as three full-time positions in the Des Collines are being abolished: one at the CHSLD in Masham and two admin positions related to proximity services. 

“Two of them are actual job losses; the third one is a reassignment,” said Vigi Santé spokesperson Marcel Chartrand. 

Chartrand also noted that a 0.5 nursing position is being moved from the Masham CLSC to Cantley. Chartrand added that the cuts are also suspending key projects in the region, including a new seniors’ home in Masham and a multi-purpose, permanent vaccination centre in the Des Collines region.  “We are told time and again that services are not and will not be affected,” said Chartrand. “Hard to believe, as with fewer resources, there will be delays in providing services, and waiting times will be extended.”

No decision on CLSC in Low, yet

Dr. Bilodeau told the Low Down that, while there isn’t yet an official decision to cut services at the CLSC in Low to one day a week, he did say that “measures are on the table.”

“Obviously, some of those places like Low could be affected,” said Bilodeau. “I’m not saying they will be because it’s still being analyzed now, and we haven’t made a decision as to where it’s going to be with the last $30 million that we need to cut.” Gatineau MNA Robert Bussière did not return the Low Down’s calls for comments.

Job losses ‘unavoidable’ in round two of health cuts Read More »

SOS Outaouais lottery rakes in dough for healthcare

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

By Trevor Greenway

Local Journalism Initiative

SOS Outaouais’ Queen of Hearts lottery, which launched just two months ago, has already raised an impressive $588,090 for healthcare in the region. 

SOS Outaouais president Jean Pigeon told the Low Down that he was blown away with the campaign’s early success in the past two months. 

“It’s quite amazing what we have going,” said Pigeon, explaining that the draw is similar to the Chase the Ace contest that went viral across the Hills last summer and allowed several organizations to benefit greatly. This included the Low arena, which got $500,000 in cash from the fundraiser. “So, hopefully we can maintain that momentum,” he added. 

The contest works by residents buying raffle tickets. If their name is called, they have a chance to win the full pot if they draw the Queen of Hearts. If not, they win the smaller weekly prize and the pot continues to grow until someone draws the Queen. The progressive pot now exceeds $190,000 as of publication date.

Pigeon said that, after dispersing the winnings, his organization will take home over $300,000 to use on multiple projects over the year. 

“We have close to 200 projects in our nine different sectors,” said Pigeon. “We have a sector of cancer treatment, overall hospital network, youth services, mental health, readaptation, elderly homes, research and supporting the recruitment of human resources for CISSSO.”

SOS Outaouais has a goal of raising $50,000 with the fundraiser in an attempt to address the $200 million shortfall that the region sees in healthcare funding. 

For more information on SOS Outaouais or to buy lottery tickets, visit: https://fondationsanteoutaouais.ca/lotos-loteries/. 

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No replacements yet for four Wakefield docs

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by Trevor Greenway

Local Journalism Initiative

Wakefield is set to lose its fourth doctor in the last two years when Dr. Jacques Ménard takes his well-deserved retirement this summer. 

And with no replacements found yet for Dr. Satenstein, Dr. Amani Ben Moussa, Dr. Folkerson and now Ménard, Hills medical advocacy groups are concerned that the region’s doctor shortage is about to get even worse. 

“It’s very concerning, and there’s a lot of doctors and specialists that have left the region, and we have to look at why they’re leaving,” said SOS Outaouais executive-director Jean Pigeon. “And, unfortunately, it’s due to exactly what we’ve been addressing: the fact that there’s a lack of funding, and there’s a lack of human resources that is putting tremendous pressure on a very difficult workplace.”

Regional healthcare advocacy group SOS Outaouais has been banging the same drum for over a year now – that the Outaouais region is grossly underfunded when compared to other regions in Quebec. According to the Observatoire de développement de l’Outaouais, the region is underfunded by an estimated $200 million per year. 

Pigeon admitted that doctor salaries in Quebec are on par with those of Ontario, and added that the region isn’t losing doctors because of low salaries but more because of working environments: long overtime shifts, a lack of medical technicians and a lack of medical technology that help doctors properly diagnose patients. 

“It comes down to: Do they have the right environment to work in?” said Pigeon. “Do they have enough staff to support them? Because doctors don’t work alone. They work in teams, so they need those teams to be available. If you just look at the region’s hospitals, there are so many positions that are still not filled, and doctors can’t diagnose blindly – they need to have medical imagery.”

Pigeon said his organization is also concerned about how the new Santé Québec health department has rolled out, as 31 per cent of Quebecers said they feel their health services have diminished under the new department, according to a recent public opinion poll. 

Santé Québec CEO Genevieve Biron also just fired her Number Two, Frédéric Abergel, after he reportedly advocated for giving local establishments more autonomy. Pigeon said his organization has been trying to meet with Biron for over a month but have yet to hear a response. 

“Ms. Biron wants to ‘measure public perception’? We offer her a clear statement: the Outaouais population has no confidence in Santé Québec,” wrote Pigeon in a news release last week. 

Biron declined an interview with the Low Down, as did CISSS de l’Outaouais (CISSSO) CEO Marc Bilodeau. Bilodeau is currently trying to cut $90 million from the region’s health budget, as Biron is slashing $150 billion from the province’s health ministry. 

CISSSO told the Low Down that those cuts would be made public in a couple of weeks. 

Lack of technology hampering recruitment 

If you ask local health watchdog group Vigi Santé why it’s so difficult to recruit doctors to Wakefield, he won’t bring up salary or vacation time or bonuses, but he will talk about a lack of technology at both Wakefield medical clinics and the village hospital that he feels is swaying young doctors from setting up their practices here. 

“The hospital is not favourable to a young doctor wanting to practise there because we have no technology,” said Vigi Sante spokesperson Marcel Chartrand. “And young doctors coming out of school, they get trained with new technology, and then they’re going to come here, and they’ll do maybe a week at the Wakefield Hospital and then say, ‘What is happening here? There’s nothing. There’s no diagnostic equipment that I could call innovative that I could use to properly assess my patients other than radiology.’ So they’re saying, ‘Well, not very interesting.’ So they look elsewhere.”

Chartrand said it “happens every day” when a doctor at the Wakefield Hospital has to send a patient to Hull or Gatineau to get a specialized diagnostic scan to properly assess them. 

There are currently 78,000 residents in the Outaouais without a family doctor and nearly 7,500 in the des Collines region. 

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