Five days after the announcement of a vast reorganization of the CISSS de la Côte-Nord to compensate for the departure of employees from private employment agencies, the situation remains “very fragile everywhere”, according to its CEO Manon Asselin, who nevertheless remains optimistic.
The overflow units in Baie-Comeau and Sept-Îles were closed in the last week and still remain closed. In these same two cities, we are also seeing a closure of operating rooms.
“I have no capacity to go beyond my 10 stretchers for each of my emergencies,” she says.
A 50% reduction in services in elective surgeries also persists. Finally, we also carry out load shedding to prioritize resources; the provision of routine health services is therefore affected.
Even if no Nord-Côtiers will be transferred outside the region, as was mentioned on Monday, the CISSS indicates, through a press release, that “medical transfers to the usual receiving hospitals (Baie-Comeau and Sept-Îles) could be disrupted if their reception capacity is limited.
Mme Asselin says his organization continues to make requests to try to fill “as much of the body of work as possible and return to normalcy.” “Every day, we will confirm new resources. » The general situation will be reassessed next week.
Despite these persistent upheavals, the CEO of the CISSS declares that “things are going much better than Monday”, the arrival of reinforcements having made it possible to avoid even more reductions in services.
The situation changes hourly and we have seen a big difference with the arrival of resources planned for May 19. We were able to secure our transfers and hospitalizations.
Manon Asselin, CEO of the CISSS de la Côte-Nord
The CEO is also delighted with the maintenance of hospitalizations in Sept-Îles and Baie-Comeau. “We have enough people to keep our beds open. » Reductions in services in the evening and at night were also avoided in the emergency rooms of Forestville and Escoumins, in Haute-Côte-Nord.
Quebec also announced Thursday the creation of a public mobile team, “made up of nurses and beneficiary attendants”. A “tool in the toolbox” of the CISSS, according to its CEO.
Read the article “Flying team in the region: a good idea for the short term, but more is needed, says the FIQ”
“Attract, retain, build loyalty”
The independent workforce occupies more than 60% of positions on the North Shore, or between 600 and 700 people. Less than 2% of them live in the administrative region.
Manon Asselin therefore wishes to find other ways to “attract, retain and retain” the workforce.
“When you come to an area, you need a net around your family,” she said. If you don’t have daycare, no accommodation, it’s difficult for any employer to attract and retain workers. »
She also met the prefects of the North Shore on Friday afternoon. “It’s not just a health problem, it’s a North Coast problem. »