Quebec’s ombudsman Marie Rinfret, slammed the government for shortcomings in the health care system. She said the Liberals’ reforms implemented two years ago have not resulted in better services in several areas, most notably in home care and long-term care for the elderly.
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“We work based on facts and the government’s own targets,” she said.
Rinfret paints a bleak picture of seniors care in her first report. The population is aging, but she said the government has allowed spaces in long-term care homes to disappear.
Over the last five years, there’s been a decrease of 2,763 places in public CHSLD’s and there are 8,000 fewer places compared to 1993. Meanwhile, over 3,500 seniors were on a waiting list on March 31, 2015, according to Rinfret’s report.
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At the same time, the ombudsman said the government is failing to provide adequate home care. She said less than half of seniors who need these services actually receive them.
The health minister came under fire in question period Thursday, the Coaliton Avenir Quebec (CAQ) noting the ombudsman has underscored the same issues every year for the last five years.
The government said the problem comes down to money.
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“If we were today to provide all the documented services to all of those who’ve been evaluated by our own personnel in the network, it would cost $4 billion,” said Health Minister Gaetan Barrette.
The ombudsman doesn’t buy that argument:
“There’s money that’s been freed up,” she said, adding it’s possible for the government to set targets they can meet within their budget.
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She said some problems are due more to poor planning than lack of resources. Rinfret noted people with mental illness or multiple health conditions are waiting longer to obtain a family doctor.
The health minister said doctors are not allowed to discriminate against patients with multiple conditions. The ombudsman encouraged anyone who thinks they’re waiting too long to make a formal complaint with her office.
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