The Parti Québécois (PQ) says Quebec Health Minister Gaétan Barrette‘s promise to have doctors for the majority of families by the end of the year isn’t feasible.
The party argues the health minister is too close-minded in his plan and should be investing in nurse practitioners and other medical resources.
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“Because the way he is asking physicians, [it] is pushing physicians, [it] means that a lot of experienced family physicians will retire,” said Diane Lamarre, PQ MNA for Taillon.
Barrette had announced Wednesday that the government is on schedule to provide 85 per cent of Quebecers with a family doctor.
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“Full time [work] in this model is 42 weeks a year. I’ll repeat four – two. I would say this is not the heaviest of burden,” he said.
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The PQ insists Barrette is putting too much pressure on general practitioners (GPs) and that could have negative consequences.
Alternative options, such as online clinics, have been offering solutions, while emergency rooms have been overcrowded since the 1980s.
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Emergency rooms in Quebec hospitals have recently reported having the longest wait times in the western world.