The prefect of the MRC of Témiscamingue, Claire Bolduc . (Archival photo)
The MRC of Témiscamingue claims an autonomous health establishment.
A resolution was adopted by the MRC Council on Wednesday to support the steps taken by the Citizens' Committee for Sustainable Health Care in Témiscamingue.
This claim is made in the following the tabling of Bill 15, which aims to make the health and social services system more efficient.
According to the committee's spokesperson, Paul-Émile Barbeau, the objectives of the bill go hand in hand with the demand for an autonomous health facility.
We see that the purpose of the law is to bring the health care system closer to citizens. What we say to the government, to the minister, is that it would be fun if they respected their own law, which says that in each sector, there will automatically be an establishment. It has been clearly established that the Minister can establish that there are different territories within this establishment, he mentions.
Mr. Barbeau believes that sending a director to Témiscamingue would not be enough to meet the needs of the community. The committee representative rather wants the MRC to be recognized as a territory in its own right, which would thus have the right to its own CLSC, its own hospital and its CHSLD.
At this time there, we would be entitled to our own CEO, while working in harmony with region 08 [Abitibi-Témiscamingue], underlines Paul-Émile Barbeau.
Paul-Émile Barbeau, spokesperson for the Citizens' Committee for Sustainable Health Care in Témiscamingue. (File photo)
The prefect of the MRC de Témiscamingue, Claire Bolduc, supports all the steps taken by the citizen committee in this file. It also judges that the territory of the MRC corresponds to the criteria enacted in the bill to create a health establishment, particularly with regard to geographical particularities.
There is one of the criteria that speaks of particular situations, in particular situations of insularity. When you look at Témiscamingue and its geographical characteristics, on one side there is the lake, on all sides there is Ontario and otherwise, we are in Abitibi, but separated from what I would call a no man's land. We therefore see that Témiscamingue is also in a situation of quasi-insularity, points out Ms. Bolduc.
“I always said we were the West Islanders. Instead of being surrounded by water, we are surrounded by forest. It changes our situation. »
— Paul-Émile Barbeau, spokesperson for the Citizens' Committee
Moreover, from the point of view of the Ministry of Health, Abitibi-Témiscamingue is recognized as a remote region and Témiscamingue as an isolated region. It changes things from the point of view of staff engagement everywhere, adds Mr. Barbeau.
According to Claire Bolduc, the presence of an independent health establishment in Témiscamingue would notably make it easier to attract and retain personnel on the territory.
Proximity management, this is one of the elements that is fundamental for health personnel and they have spoken very widely, very often, on this issue. The proximity management, the fact that they cannot talk to their superiors, that the problems persist, that there is no one who takes care of them, that means that many have left the health network , she says.
Ms. Bolduc says she informed the CEO of the Integrated Health and Social Services Center of Abitibi-Témiscamingue (CISSS-AT), Caroline Roy, of the MRC council's decision to support the citizens' committee's demand.
The management of the CISSS-AT declined to comment, citing the fact that the bill 15 is still under consideration by the National Assembly.
