(Quebec) Paul St-Pierre Plamondon calls on Santé Québec to make public its plan to eliminate 1.5 billion in expenses. The leader of the Parti Québécois fears “disorganized and random” cuts to respond to a “political order” from the Legault government.
Posted at 12:00 a.m.
At a time when the CISSS and CIUSSS are undertaking a slimming regime, the PQ leader asks Santé Québec to present “the financial restructuring plan” for the health and social services network.
“Santé Québec has an obligation to disclose in a transparent manner where [être] the cuts and how we proceed in each region, otherwise there is an undemocratic character that sets in where we are not able to get the facts right […] on a very, very serious subject,” laments Paul St-Pierre Plamondon.
He denounces the fact of learning “in dribs and drabs” about the measures taken by health establishments to go from red to green. In operation since 1is December, Santé Québec inherits the perilous mission of forcing the CISSS and CIUSSS to return to budget balance. The deficit for the year 2024-2025 will reach 1.5 billion “if nothing is done”, maintains the state-owned company.
Minister Christian Dubé affirmed that the objective is “non-negotiable”. This mission occurs in the context where the Legault government plans to record a historic deficit of 11 billion.
CISSS and CIUSSS have suspended the posting of positions, including those of nurses. Others have limited overtime. Infrastructure projects are also revised.
This raises the question of whether there is really planning for these healthcare cuts or are we going to proceed in a disorganized and random manner as unfortunately the CAQ too often does.
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois
He asks Santé Québec to present a situation report and take stock of planning. According to Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon, it is “implausible” to eliminate 1.5 billion in expenses without affecting patient services. At the end of the parliamentary session, the Minister of Health paid lip service to the fact that the cuts will have an impact on services and that it will have to be “minimized”.
The PQ leader also deplores the fact that the deficit budgets of the establishments were approved at the start of the year and that a few months before the end of the financial year there is a demand to restore the situation. However, he is not ready to offer a reprieve to the CISSS and CIUSSS.
Current exercise
Santé Québec said Tuesday that “an exercise is underway to compile all the measures taken by the network’s establishments” to reduce expenses. “It is these same establishments which will be responsible, in due time, for sharing their measures linked to their balanced budget plan,” we write.
We recall that the state corporation “supports establishments in the identification of budgetary measures” and that these measures must, “according to their local realities, [avoir] the minimum impact on the care and services offered to the population, particularly the most vulnerable.”
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon fears that Santé Québec will be used to do “the dirty work” of the government. He has already said that he could scrap the new structure if he takes power in 2026.
Read “The PQ would consider abolishing Santé Québec”
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