Doctors in turn jumped into the fray on Monday to denounce the reorganization of the work of nurses decreed in the health network by the CIUSSS de la Mauricie-et-du-Centre-du-Québec.
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“It will affect care and it is important that the population knows it,” explained Dr. David Dubois.
This family doctor is concerned about the plans of the CIUSSS. If clinical nurses are moved to reduce compulsory overtime (TSO) in hospitals, he fears a reduction in services in family medicine groups (GMF).
“We are not even currently offered all the nursing services to which we would be entitled according to the standards of the FMGs, and there, we want to reduce them even more! And we do it in a cavalier way without respecting the skills of the nurses, ”claimed Dr. Dubois.
For him, the role of a nurse-clinician is crucial in a medical clinic. It provides follow-ups for chronic diseases, such as diabetes, and thus allows doctors to see more patients.
“It’s impossible to do this work without the whole medical team,” assured the doctor.
FMG physicians have not yet been questioned by the CIUSSS on the changes to come.
The president of the Association of General Practitioners of the Mauricie, Dr. Pierre Martin also shares concerns and closely monitors administrative measures.
“The first line must not become the one that is stripped. It took us too long to recognize the needs we had to have front-line personnel to meet the needs of the population. And after that, we come to remove them to go and work on the care units?” wondered Dr. Martin.
Dr. Frédéric Picotte works regularly at the emergency room in Shawinigan. He wonders whether management has thought about all the solutions before considering such a major reorganization of the health network.
“What we see in practice is that when you force people to do something, it’s never good. This does not contribute to staff retention. Instead, we want to improve working conditions and find solutions. I am concerned for the people on the front line that we are going to lose, ”he said.
In addition, the president of the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec must meet with all the heads of FMGs in the region on Tuesday evening to discuss the nurses’ file.