Coalition Avenir Quebec promises new health agency as election nears
The Coalition Avenir Québec is promising to create a new health agency "to coordinate the operations of the system" and make the network "more efficient and more humane."
Minister of Health and Social Services Christian Dubé announced the election commitment Wednesday morning in Quebec City.
"We have all seen the failures of our health-care system during the pandemic. Everyone agrees that we need to change the way things work in health and social services," said Dubé.
The new agency, Santé Québec, will have the mandate to coordinate the operations of the health system, while the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) will focus on its role in planning, guiding, measuring performance and budgeting the network.
To illustrate how this new agency could allow for the decentralization and "de-bureaucratization" of the system, Dubé gave the example of the vaccination campaign against COVID-19.
"The MSSS, in collaboration with public health and the Comité d'immunisation du Québec (CIQ), provided clinical guidance for the vaccination. Within the network, a separate team was responsible and accountable for operations. This contributed to the success of the patient experience of Quebecers during their vaccination against COVID-19," he said.
He made it clear that "the idea is not to embark on a major structural reform that will disrupt everything on the ground."
Dubé indicated that the creation of this new agency was inspired by the health and social services renewed governance report, which was unveiled last June by Deputy Minister of Health Dominique Savoie.
Savoie, who had been mandated by the government to conduct a diagnostic of the health network, proposed the creation of a "neutral, fully accountable, highly operational entity, focused on results and user satisfaction."
According to the minister, the new agency will allow the CEOs of the CIUSSS and CISSS to have "the legitimacy to act according to the realities specific to each region and institution."
Allowing the CEOs of the various regions to have more autonomy is also an element of Savoie's report.
"If Quebecers put their trust in us on October 3, we will table a bill as soon as parliament resumes. This will allow us to hear from everyone and adjust as needed," said the health minister.
During the news conference, Dubé was accompanied by Lionel Carmant, Minister of Health and Social Services, Shirley Dorismond, MNA for Marie-Victorin, Marilyne Picard, MNA for Soulanges, and candidates for the next elections Sonia Bélanger and Samuel Gatien.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 17, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Canada's GDP rises amid expert fears of rate-hike recession
Canada's GDP rose 0.2 per cent in February, driven by a rebound in transportation and warehousing, which saw the largest recorded month-to-month rise in over a year at 1.4 per cent.
'Fatalities' reported following wrong-way collision on Highway 401, SIU called in: police
Ontario's Special Investigations Unit has been called in following a deadly wrong-way collision on Highway 401 in Whitby on Monday night, say police.
NEW Is there a cost to convenience? Canada approves new cancer immunotherapy treatment
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
Canada's new dental program offering hope of free care to millions but many dentists aren't signed up
A new Canadian dental care program is offering the hope of free care to millions, but while 1.7 million people have signed up for the plan, only about 5,000 dentists have done the same.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
Winner of US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot is an immigrant from Laos who has cancer
One of the winners of a historic US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot last month is an immigrant from Laos who has had cancer for eight years and had his latest chemotherapy treatment last week.
King Charles III returns to public duties with a trip to a cancer charity
King Charles III returned to public duties on Tuesday, visiting a cancer treatment charity and beginning his carefully managed comeback after the monarch's own cancer diagnosis sidelined him for three months.
NDP says Ottawa's new grocery task force isn't living up to government promises
The federal government says the task force it created to monitor and investigate grocery retailers' practices has not conducted any probes and doesn't have a mandate to take enforcement action.