Minister Carmant was visiting Estrie on Thursday and Friday. He took advantage of it, as revealed The Tribuneto visit the psychiatric emergency at the Hôtel-Dieu in Sherbrooke and the psychiatry unit at the Granby Hospital.
Visits which showed him that Estrie is “absolutely behind” in the prevention of psychiatric hospitalizations.
If he judges that the physical layout of the Sherbrooke psychiatric emergency is “not adequate”, as noted by several speakers, including the coroner who investigated the death of Amélie Champagne, Mr. Carmant is of the opinion that improving the situation requires above all a reduction in hospitalizations.
“If a plan is submitted to us [par le CIUSSS]there would be interest from the government in renovating the psychiatric emergency. However, as I tell you, the unity is there, physically. We could improve the lighting, but the real problem is the time people spend on stretchers waiting for a bed on the floors,” he says.
“The lack of fluidity is a glaring problem. Even if we had nicer premises, as long as we don’t resolve this problem, we won’t go anywhere.”
— Lionel Carmant, Minister responsible for Social Services
Minister Carmant describes patients who remain “for months” on hospitalization floors, which leaves those waiting on stretchers in the emergency room “crammed” in an environment that is not conducive to a person experiencing a potential crisis situation. .
Partnerships to be perfected
Lionel Carmant. (Stéphane Lessard/Archives Le Nouvelliste)
But how can we reduce psychiatric hospitalizations? Already, replies the minister, by making full use of available resources.
The brief community support team (ABC) in psychiatry, which makes it possible to take care of patients who present to the emergency room without it being the right place for them, was announced with great fanfare by the CIUSSS in april. The only downside: six months later, only one of the seven positions available at Hôtel-Dieu has been filled, reveals the minister.
“All the nurse can do, and he does a lot on his own, is take care of follow-ups in the community. However, as he is alone, he cannot do triage in the emergency room. People who have problems that do not arise from psychiatry still have to be seen in the emergency room, which clogs it,” explains Lionel Carmant.
Otherwise, the CIUSSS must do a better job of linking up with the community sector. Establishments like the Sherbrooke crisis center, although loudly requested for many years, are underused, laments the minister.
There would be a need to forge better partnerships for traveling customers, he also said. Many homeless people end up in the psychiatric emergency room when other resources would be better suited, which creates congestion and a revolving door phenomenon.
“Le Partage Saint-François is ready to raise its hand to help, so we are ready to listen. We have a great mental health program that we have just relaunched for homeless people, so we would be ready to collaborate with them,” notes Mr. Carmant.
The L’Éclaircie crisis center in Sherbrooke is underutilized, deplores Mr. Carmant. (Jocelyn Riendeau/Archives La Tribune)
Expected results
Lionel Carmant hopes that these problems will be quickly addressed by the management of the CIUSSS, with whom he says he has spoken. He will also return to the region in December to report to him on this subject.
“I want to see changes in patient triage, for example. There are a lot of things to check. I told them that we would speak again in December,” he mentions.
The minister would also like the CIUSSS to finally appoint a head for its psychiatry department. Remember that the one who previously held this position had resigned during the wave of departures of CIUSSS managers last summer.
In an interview in August, the director of professional services (DSP) of the CIUSSS, Dr. Mario Viens, said that there were not necessarily any problems in the fact that this position, like several others, has not always not been filled, as he fills them himself, with the help of deputy chiefs.
Minister Carmant sees this as a problem.
“The fact that there is no head of department doesn’t help. It is the DSP who fills this role, so there is a leadership issue there. […] I am told that they are working on it, that someone should be appointed shortly,” relates Mr. Carmant.
In addition to his visits to psychiatric units, the minister took advantage of his visit to Estrie to make an announcement on homelessness for the Granby sector.
