Specialized Doctors deployment in the Region: The agreement had yet to be signed on December 20
Specialized Doctors deployment in the Region: The agreement had yet to be signed on December 20
The MNA for Pontiac and the official opposition critic for health at the National Assembly, André Fortin, is “struggling to understand” the agreement between the ministère de la Santé et des Services Sociaux (MSSS) and the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ), aimed at ensuring regional coverage in obstetrics and general surgery across the province.
According to the response provided by the Ministry to a request for information made by the official opposition at the National Assembly, this agreement had yet to be signed on December 20th, 2019, when it should have been in effect as of December 1st, as announced by Health Minister Danielle McCann in November. It was also indicated that the agreement would be available on the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec website on January 10th (today). Without ruling out the possibility that the agreement was signed during the holiday season, André Fortin said he wished to clarify the situation, especially since another break in service in general surgery was announced for the next few days at the Pontiac Hospital.
Fortin deplores the lack of authenticity in the measures announced by Minister McCann last fall, which consist of deploying groups of medical specialists in the province to reduce the breakdown of obstetrics and general surgery services.
As announced Thursday, a new break in general surgery would occur in Shawville, affecting the obstetrics unit. André Fortin said he has tried to join Minister McCann, without success. The Pontiac MNA expects the minister to answer questions until the National Assembly resumes operations in early February. Above all, he hopes that the situation will be resolved quickly in the Pontiac, since residents face a 12th interruption in service in less than a year at the Shawville Hospital.
André Fortin also plans to contact the FMSQ, in the event that the agreement is not made public Friday.
