(Quebec) The Liberals are demanding the intervention of the President of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel, in the negotiations to renew the First Line Access Counter (GAP).
The Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, has still not reached an agreement with family doctors regarding the financing of the GAP which expires this Friday.
At a press briefing, the liberal André Fortin invited Mme LeBel to take “a leadership role, […] because obviously, Christian Dubé […] leave it to the last minute, then the patients pay the price.”
For any response, Mme LeBel indicated in the press scrum that it was necessary to “maintain access to patients” until a framework agreement with family doctors was renegotiated.
In 2022, Mr. Dubé and the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec (FMOQ) agreed that family medicine groups (GMF) would take care of patients who were previously without a doctor.
An annual premium of $120 was paid for each patient registered with a GMF through the GAP.
However, the agreement expires this Friday, without the parties having agreed on new terms. Many Quebecers have been told that they will no longer be followed as of Friday.
According to the Ministry of Health, 17,604 appointments were offered by doctors via GAP in the week of May 18. The number of appointments drops to 5,699 for the week of 1er June.
PHOTO JACQUES BOISSINOT, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Christian Dubé
Minister Dubé accused the FMOQ, last Saturday, of orchestrating a “union maneuver” and taking the population “hostage”, before softening the tone.
The president of the FMOQ, Dr Marc-André Amyot, has denied in all forums having given the order to doctors to no longer offer appointments to GAP patients. A conciliator was appointed in the case.
On Friday, Mr. Dubé did not want to comment further on the negotiations, but called for the “professionalism” of doctors.
“Yes, we arrive within a tight deadline with the doctors,” he admitted, “but I rely a lot on the professionalism of these people who are committed to improving the network. »
“What is dramatic, honestly, is the lack of planning and vision in these negotiations,” denounced Haroun Bouazzi, of Québec solidaire.
“(Minister Dubé) never planned for the post-agreement. And here, today, we meet again […] with thousands of Quebecers who will not have access to front-line services,” added PQ leader Joël Arseneau.