Health Minister Gaetan Barrette has called a meeting to deal with the administrative problems at the MUHC.

Barrette is meeting Thursday with unions representing employees and with members of the various committees at the hospitals on the Glen Site in the wake of this week's sudden resignation of ten members of the board of directors.

Earlier this week the nurses' union said it was growing concerned that patient care would be affected by the walkout.

Meanwhile the anglophone rights group Quebec Community Groups Network, which has long criticized the MUHC's administration, said it is ready to help out in any way possible.

QCGN's vice-president Geoffrey Chambers said his group has had many meetings with the Health Ministry to discuss the status of care for anglophones in Quebec.

Earlier this year he co-wrote an opinion piece calling on the MUHC do better by working with the minister and the rest of the healthcare network.

"We really think the MUHC now is in a state of flux. There has been a crisis. There's a real opportunity to improve things," said Chambers, adding the QCGN could provide a list of names to the Health Minister to be appointed to the board.

"There are people who have long term involvements in the foundations around the hospital who have made up the MUHC, around the boards of previous hospitals. Lots of good talent in the community who have had involvement with the health and social services network who are available who could be put together to make a great board," said Chambers.

However the co-chair of the MUHC Patients' Committee, which chooses one of the members of the MUHC Board of Directors, does not think the QCGN should be consulted.

Pierre Hurteau, who has frequently criticized the hospital and Barrette, questions QCGN's proposal.

"Fifty per cent of the users of that hospital are francophone so I mean, I don't know what is their agenda," said Hurteau.

At Thursday's meeting he is planning to tell Barrette that the management crisis must be stopped.

"All of what is happening has an impact on the patients and this has to change," said Hurteau.