Photo: Ryan Remiorz The Canadian Press To force the hand of doctors, the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, intends to table a regulation which would come into force within 45 days, which would implement the provisions of “Law 20” adopted by Gaétan Barrette.
Isabelle Porter and Marie-Eve Cousineau in Quebec
7:34 p.m.
- Quebec
Minister Christian Dubé is urging family doctors to take 13,000 more patients and is using “Bill 20” adopted by Gaétan Barrette to achieve this. Targeted patients are considered the most vulnerable because they suffer from serious illnesses and need short-term follow-up.
“Law 20 has never been applied and that’s what doctors are afraid of,” declared the minister during a press scrum at the National Assembly on Wednesday.
This coup occurs while the minister and the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec (FMOQ) are negotiating the agreement on their remuneration.
The minister wants the 13,000 patients to be taken care of by a family doctor, not by a group of doctors as is the case for patients who pass through the front line access window (GAP). In the absence of a doctor, these patients often have to go to the emergency room to treat minor problems, he laments.
To force the doctors' hand, he intends to table a regulation which would come into force within 45 days.
This regulation makes it possible to implement the provisions of “Law 20” which was adopted at the time of Minister Gaétan Barrette, but which had never been implemented.
A very poorly received decision
“Bill 20” notably provided for sanctions for recalcitrant doctors, but Mr. Dubé affirms that he has not reached this stage. This did not prevent the news from being very poorly received by those mainly concerned.
“Great disappointment to see a settlement like this! Gaétan barrette tried it, it didn’t work,” reacted the president of the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec (FMOQ), Dr. Marc-André Amyot, in an interview. Even if Christian Dubé assures that he does not plan sanctions, Dr. Amyot believes that the minister is sending the wrong message. “A sword of Damocles is held over our heads: we expect you to do more, then more. »
“There will be a demotivation effect among doctors,” he added. “Especially in the context where they worked hard, they gave the best of themselves to improve the service. »