(Quebec) The union of home support workers and their professional order welcome the decision of Minister Sonia Bélanger to tackle the burden of administrative tasks. The opposition also welcomes this, but is now asking him to go further.
“At first glance, this initiative constitutes an important step forward in the recognition of the expertise and professional judgment of our members,” recognizes the president of the Alliance of Professional and Technical Personnel in Health and Social Services (APTS), Robert Comeau. In full negotiation with the State, the union welcomes the new project of the Minister for Health.
According to the APTS, the project of Mme Bélanger will “reduce the burden of administrative tasks that weigh on the shoulders of some of the staff working in home support” in addition to demonstrating “that it is possible to improve access to services when the government listens to workers to improve the organization of work.”
The Press reported Friday that Minister Sonia Bélanger is scrapping the 36-page forms, abolishing “systematic” evaluations and signaling the end of accountability every “15 minutes” so that caregivers spend more time with patients and less behind a desk. The first part of its project concerns psychosocial workers.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Minister for Health Sonia Bélanger
The APTS has been advocating for several years for the reduction of the administrative burden on its members who can spend more than five hours, for example, completing evaluation forms. This is also a request from the Order of Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists of Quebec.
“As for home support, the Ministry implemented what we call the Toyota approach some time ago,” relates President Pierre-Paul Malenfant. “An approach where everything is calculated by the minute, where you have to report every 15 minutes… We’ve been decrying that for a long time. It goes against professional autonomy,” he adds.
Social workers who have studied, who have experience, they are capable of having professional judgment, knowing what a person needs without all the bureaucratic mechanics.
Pierre-Paul Malenfant, president of the Order of Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists of Quebec
The former Liberal Minister of Health, Yves Bolduc, was one of the first to implement this model in the health network to increase performance, in 2008.
The president and CEO of the CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal – which is one of the establishments participating in the deployment of the pilot project – also indicates that he has observed over time an increase in bureaucracy in home support services.
“The basic intention [était] laudable, but [aujourd’hui] it goes into so much detail that it goes beyond the very pragmatic need,” explains Jean-François Fortin-Verreault. He welcomes Minister Bélanger’s approach. Eastern Montreal serves a vulnerable and aging population. Despite improvements in the provision of home care, he notes that demand is growing too quickly.
“In the context of labor shortage […] to succeed in finding solutions to lighten people’s workload and allow them to do what they love most, that is to say providing care, I think that is a good angle of action”, he maintains.
The minister must go further
Liberal MP Linda Caron says she is “disappointed” with the action plan proposed by Minister Bélanger. “Eliminate paperwork […] this is the basis,” she stressed. “It’s an obstacle course to get services so, if we only act on the paperwork, it’s a good start, but the revolution in home care will not be very advanced,” lamented Mme Because we.
Her colleague from Québec solidaire, Christiane Labrie, for her part hopes that the minister’s will will come to fruition in the network. “The question of timing, of constant monitoring of professionals, if it really changes, will bring a considerable improvement in the working conditions of the staff who provide care. […] What I read would really represent a cultural change in the organization.”
The Parti Québécois recalls that the “amounts granted by Quebec are largely insufficient”. MP Joël Arseneau welcomes Mr.me Bélanger to “clean up the paperwork”, but asks him to commit to keeping indicators to “measure the concrete impact of these measures”.