We know the Legault government’s primary goals are to reform the health system, but it keeps the timetable for measures secret. However, some have already been identified, especially with regard to CHSLDs and the worker. This was revealed by the department’s responses to our inquiries and to an access to information request.
The Québec Ombudsman requested the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) to send him, no later than January 14, 2022, a work plan outlining the selected actions and the proposed timetable for implementing each of the recommendations of his report (New window) in the management of CHSLD during the first wave of the pandemic.
” Now, what is urgent is to project ourselves quickly into the near future to provide CHSLD and the network of health and social services that supervise them in the manner of their missions. “
Defendant’s report, entitled COVID-19 sa CHSLD during the first wave of the pandemic-Targeting the causes of the crisis, action, remembering, made some recommendations that reached the health plan presented by Minister Christian Dubé last month. For example, a recommendation on the need to make efforts to recruit and retain workers or the strengthening of investigative powers in CHSLD.
But the health plan presented to the public on March 29 does not contain any timeline associated with its goals.
However, the Ministry confirmed to us that it had submitted its work plan and timetable to the Protector in January for implementation of its recommendations, but it was impossible to consult it.
This document is subject to information access law, so you must make an official requestspokesperson’s answer MSSSRobert Maranda.
However, in response to a request for access, the ministry refused to disclose it, arguing that it was indeed confidential.
The letter was signed by Assistant Deputy Minister Daniel Desharnais, who, in addition to overseeing access to documents, was himself one of the main authors of the health plan.
The lack of an implementation schedule in this plan has been criticized by the opposition and unions.
” There is no timeline in the document [pour atteindre les objectifs visés] or any way to get there. This is what worries us the most right now. “
ang MSSS requesting two articles of the Public Protector Act to justify the secrecy of the action plan and the timetable.
Article 24 states that the intervention of the Québec Ombudsman is conducted privately and article 26.2 states that the Québec Ombudsman may, whenever he gives an opinion to the head of a public body, make any recommendation he deems useful and request to be informed of the steps actually taken to remedy the adverse situation..
Does this mean that the department has the right to deny access to a document it has created itself? Yes, explained the Office of the Public Protector.
” Documents, such as an organization’s follow-up regarding the Québec Ombudsman’s recommendations, are confidential because they are exchanged within the framework of the Québec Ombudsman’s performance of duties. “
However, the Québec Ombudsman’s office points out that it keeps an annual report in which it reports on follow-up to its recommendations, and this, until the implementation, to its satisfaction, of the recommendations.
In addition, the Québec Ombudsman specifically suggested that the Ministère de la Santé report annually and to the public, over the next five years, on its progress monitoring the implementation of the recommendations.
So we should expect a public follow-up from MSSSnot later than November 2022.
To prepare for this follow-up, the Department will meet with the Protecteur in June.
Source: Radio-Canada
