(Quebec) Liberal MP André Fortin wanted to box out Health Minister Christian Dubé in full parliamentary committee on Tuesday by trying to obtain a medical appointment, without success.
He took advantage of the study of the Ministry of Health’s budgetary appropriations – an annual accountability exercise – to try to trap Christian Dubé and demonstrate failures in access to primary care.
The spokesperson for the Liberal Party of Quebec on health suggested to the MPs present that they “try together to have a medical appointment as a citizen would”. “I encourage you to do so, Minister,” he said. Christian Dubé did not flinch.
“I have in front of me the Rendez-vous Santé Québec site, the gateway for many people,” said Mr. Fortin. In front of everyone, he completed the online form in order to have a follow-up consultation – therefore not urgent – with his family doctor, who works in the largest family medicine group in Gatineau.
“That tells me: no appointments matching your search criteria are available at the moment. […] This is not abnormal, it happens regularly. »
The minister agreed that “it happens regularly”.
The MP obtained the same negative response when he insisted on having an appointment with another health professional from the same GMF. Ditto for having one in a clinic located within a 25 kilometer radius.
What should a person do in this situation? Go to the emergency room? asked Mr. Fortin.
Christian Dubé suggested using the First Line Access Counter (GAP). The Liberal MP reported that his researcher and a member of his constituency staff used the “digital GAP” at the same time to have an appointment, in Quebec and Gatineau respectively. Result: no appointment available once again.
We go through Rendez-vous santé Québec, no appointment. We go through the GAP, no appointment. What are we doing ?
Andre Fortin
The minister acknowledged that the system does not work “perfectly” in all regions. He recalled that he has already asked family doctors to make their services more accessible by offering the population more appointments. He plans to ensure that additional appointments are available to the population.
“Was this done (by the doctors)? Until now, I can’t tell you,” he said. It has given itself the means with Bill 11 to obtain the relevant data from doctors in order to carry out the verification. The regulations will be implemented within two weeks, he added.
He argued that the GAP is a “temporary tool”, which has still processed 1.3 million requests over the past year according to his office. To implement a “new version of the GAP”, the government must negotiate another agreement with the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec (FMOQ), underlined the minister.