Quebec doctors leaving public health care
This week’s edition of who is saying what about public health care is compiled by Pat Van Horne.
Quebec doctors leaving the public system in record numbers
“Quebec was (one of) the last province(s) to join Medicare (in 1970) and seems to be the worst offender of all the provinces with regard to opting out for completely privatized physician care. This siphons off doctors from the public system, is very bad for the public system and bad for Quebecers who need primary medical care,” said Anne Lagacé Dowson for the Canadian Health Coalition to the Montreal Gazette, July 21, 2024
“It’s a form of double dipping. In the morning, the physicians (are) in the hospital, in the afternoon they’re in their private clinic and good luck to you if you need to speak to your specialist in the afternoon,” said Lagacé Dowson to City News, July 22, 2024
“What we need is more physicians in the public health care system, so it’s something that’s really scary, I think, for all patients and for a lot of the physicians that stay in the health care system right now,” said Dr. Isabelle LeBlanc with Médecins québécois pour le régime public (Quebec Doctors for Medicare) to City News, July 22, 2024
Workers, advocates center health care at premiers’ conference
“We make sure we have school systems for every child, regardless if they move… Then why don’t we model our health-care system the same way?” said Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Union, , to CTV News Atlantic, July 16, 2024
“Imagine 22 per cent of the children of Canada didn’t have access to public school? That would be appalling. Yet we have 22 per cent of the Canadian population who don’t have access the primary care. That is equally appalling… More than 6.5 million Canadians don’t have a family doctor or any other access to family care. That means they aren’t getting their diagnosis on time, nobody is monitoring their chronic diseases and we’re getting worse health outcomes,” said Dr. Jane Philpott, to CTV News Atlantic, July 16, 2024
Travel nurse float pool reducing reliance on private agency nurses in Manitoba
“We want to put those (agency) dollars back into our public health-care system. That means that we have to decrease our use of agency nurses… It can only be good for patients when nurses that come into work are oriented and they understand the facility, they understand the type of clients they’ll be working with,” said Manitoba Nurses Union President Darlene Jackson, to the Winnipeg Free Press, July 22, 2024
Unionized health workers in Manitoba seeking action
“This government made an election commitment to fix health care. To keep this promise, they must invest in health-care teams,” said MGEU president Kyle Ross. “Health-care support staff and technical professional health-care providers deserve the same respect and recognition as their nurse and doctor colleagues,” said Manitoba Government Employees Union President Kyle Ross, to the Winnipeg Free Press, July 19, 2024
Unjust, unfair and unhealthy – public funds funneled into private sector
“How is it justifiable that most hospitals in Ontario are facing deficits due to underfunding, while public money is being funnelled to private clinics? Staff in public hospitals are overwhelmed, overworked, and under-resourced. But somehow, the government has found more money for the much more expensive private clinics – it’s baffling.”—said John Jackson, Eastern ON vice-president, Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (Canadian Union of Public Employees), in a news release, July 22, 2024
Praise for health care team during storm and power outage
“I was at a hospital for a lung biopsy and was cared for by the best nurses and doctors who did the procedure… I had travelled for three hours from northern Ontario… The care I received was exemplary,” said Janet Jeffery of Burk’s Falls, ON to the Toronto Star, July 19, 2024 (one of many comments about the epic downpour in southern Ontario last week, not all about health care)
Family councils in long-term care on the rise in BC
“Council means you’re not beating your head against the wall” [when trying to advocate for yourself]. It’s created a “night and day difference” [when advocating for improved care],” said long-term care resident Sébastien Paul, who lives with multiple sclerosis, about the family council, in The Tyee, July 22, 2024
Cancer care action plans needed says survivor network
“We urge (Canadian premiers) to prioritize the engagement of patients and caregivers in developing and implementing comprehensive cancer action plans. By placing patients at the centre of these plans, we can ensure that the full spectrum of cancer care is addressed effectively. Remember that the best cancer outcomes result from Canadians having access to strong multi-year provincial cancer action plans,” said Jackie Manthorne, president and CEO of the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network, The Hill Times, July 23, 2024
Canadian Medical Association report calls for team approach
“Governments scale up interprofessional, publicly funded primary care teams for 50 per cent of Canadians within five years, to access family doctors together with other practitioners. (That’s up from an estimated 15 per cent now in one national survey;
“Governments enforce the Canada Health Act ban against user fees, including membership fees, for access to publicly insured primary care;
“Allow Canadians to access specialty care elsewhere in their province or territory or go to another region if care can’t be provided with a specified maximum. The patient’s home province or territory picks up the tab,” stated a report by the Canadian Medical Association, as reported in CBC News, July 23, 2024
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