(Quebec) Quebec fires the president and CEO of the CISSS de la Côte-Nord, Manon Asselin, for shortcomings in terms of governance. The facility has been mired in a labor crisis since May.
The Council of Ministers terminated the employment contract of Manon Asselin as CEO of the CISSS de la Côte-Nord. The news was confirmed Wednesday afternoon after the weekly cabinet meeting.
Gaps in governance are to blame, according to our information.
“A change within the governance of the CISSS de la Côte-Nord will make it possible to address the challenges in health and social services in the region, for the benefit of the entire population of the Côte-Nord,” we write in the press release. . Furthermore, “formal support for senior management of the CISSS de la Côte-Nord will be provided by the CIUSSS du Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and by Santé Québec,” it is indicated.
The deputy CEO of the CISSS, Nathalie Castilloux, will now assume the interim role until the government of Quebec appoints a new CEO. The president of the board of directors, Ginette Côté, also lost her position.
“It is with great emotion that I must announce to you today that our adventure together ends here. My desire was to continue working alongside you, but unfortunately my mandate is ending earlier than expected and please know that this is not my decision,” wrote Mme Asselin in a communication sent to employees of the establishment.
Manon Asselin took charge of the CISSS de la Côte-Nord in 2021. Her mandate was to end next June. Mme Asselin had previously worked in the Canadian Armed Forces, at the Department of National Defense.
The North Shore has been plunged into a labor crisis since the tightening of rules surrounding the use of employment agencies. Doctors in the region were particularly critical of the government decision and increased their public outings to denounce the situation, which placed the Legault government on the defensive on several occasions.
The flying team promised by Christian Dubé to help the region also had a difficult start, which was also denounced in the region.
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Since May, the CISSS de la Côte-Nord has been dealing with a staff shortage which is forcing the establishment to reduce its services in the area. The Forestville emergency rooms had to be closed and the capacity of those at the Baie-Comeau hospital was reduced, in particular.
In the wake of the crisis, the Minister of Health strongly criticized the CISSS de la Côte-Nord, which had put in place a protocol which could have led to the expulsion of a patient if the latter did not accept not to be transferred to a CHSLD elsewhere in the territory. If the user decided to stay, they would have to pay accommodation costs. However, the CISSS replied that it was based on a ministerial circular.
The Minister of Health traveled to the North Shore in July. Representatives from Santé Québec also visited the region at the end of the summer. François Legault also met the management of the CISSS during his visit to Baie-Comeau in September.
The dismissal of major bosses of health establishments remains uncommon. In April 2021, Quebec dismissed the CEO of the CISSS de la Montérégie-Ouest, Yves Masse, whose management was strongly contested. Quebec had also dismissed the CEO of the CISSS de Lanaudière, Daniel Castonguay, from his position, following the death of Joyce Echaquan in 2020.