The impasse persists on Monday between family doctors and Quebec to find an agreement which will ensure that doctors will resume offering more appointment slots at the Front Line Access Counter (GAP).
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“Conciliation between the government and the FMOQ continued throughout the weekend and will continue in the coming days,” indicated the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, in a publication on X.
François Legault, for his part, mentioned at a press briefing on Monday afternoon that he did not want to “add fuel to the fire” because his government “is in intensive negotiations.”
The Premier of Quebec added that “it has never been easy to negotiate with the family doctors’ union” and that “it is perhaps the one with which it is the most difficult to negotiate.”
The government remains firm on its objective of caring for patients registered with the GAP and has little room for maneuver to maintain the premium at $120.
“We will not be able to resolve the problem of the health network if we do not have a strong first line, and that means first of all GMFs where we take care of Quebecers on the front line,” said declared François Legault at a press briefing.
For its part, the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec (FMOQ) offers that all Quebecers be supported by the GAP depending on their health problems, according to what sources reported to TVA Nouvelles.
Fewer appointments at the GAP
In a reminder sent to employees of the CIUSSS de la Mauricie-et-du-Centre-du-Québec, and obtained by TVA nouvelles, we write that “the GAP does not grant appointments for semi-urgent problems of 48 hours or less” and that the GAP has instructions “to inform the user who is not able to obtain an appointment to go to the emergency room”.
Depending on the assessment that will be made in the emergency room, the nurse could then offer an alternative to the patient.
For non-urgent problems of more than 48 hours, patients are invited to make a request to GAP in two weeks.
It is also written that GAP encourages students and foreign workers with insurance to go to a private clinic.
The Minister of Health, for his part, insists that the GAP service is still offered.
“A nurse will be able to assess the need and refer to a front-line service, relying on the contribution of other health professionals, such as pharmacists, nurses and doctors who are there,” he said. he indicated in his publication on X.
Quebec will table a bill on Tuesday to modernize the Professional Code.
The intention of this new law is to give more powers to certain health professionals, such as pharmacists.
This measure should notably make it possible to improve access to the first line, according to Christian Dubé.
– According to information from Alain Laforest
