The Protecteur du citoyen's 2023-2024 Annual Report - News release 2 - Health services and social services : Focus on individuals, beyond their clinical profile

QUÉBEC CITY, Sept. 19, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, Ombudsperson Marc-André Dowd tabled his 2023-2024 Annual Report at the National Assembly.

As part of its investigations, the Protecteur du citoyen heard from many health and social services workers who have no choice but to provide only essential services due to lack of time and resources, compassion fatigue, and staff turnover. As a result, users could very well be reduced to their clinical profile.

"Complaints from users and their families in a number of situations reveal care and service depersonalization in the public network. It's now a known fact that an approach tailored to each individual has positive effects on their health and a consistent care pathway. It's imperative that care providers and the care system build on this vision of work in the field," said Mr. Dowd.

Over the past year, the Protecteur du citoyen has reminded health and social services network authorities that public program standards must be adjusted to the user's situation and, if necessary, to exceptional cases. This means, among other things, that care and service agility must translate into a flexible attitude towards requests that may be considered reasonable, even if these requests go beyond pre-set criteria and checkboxes on forms.

Supervising recruits and service humanization

The move to humanize services also involves ensuring that staff are properly trained and supervised to provide personalized care. In recent years, staff shortages have made it necessary to fast-track training for new recruits. Investigations by the Protecteur du citoyen showed that supervisory and management staff did not always give these employees the required support.

A man with symptoms of dementia had been transferred to a CHSLD unit where new care attendants did not have the necessary training to intervene if the person became disorganized. Since certain personalized strategies could have humanized the interventions, the Protecteur du citoyen recommended that the CHSLD make adequate training for new staff a priority.

The same logic applies to the use of control measures as a last resort. In residential resources, hospitals and youth centres, new staff members were overly zealous with control measures, particularly prolonged isolation. The Protecteur du citoyen recommended a higher level of training for these employees so that, when possible, alternative solutions are chosen over measures likely to seriously infringe on fundamental rights.

While the Youth Protection Act advocates the importance of giving preference to people with a significant relationship with the child to be placed, these applicants have had to contend with an allowance that is considerably lower than the amounts granted to an accredited foster family, even though they must meet the same needs. The Protecteur du citoyen has recommended to the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) that these families be entitled to the same treatment as regular foster families. The Protecteur du citoyen deplores MSSS's refusal to act on this recommendation.

Will announced reforms provide the new impetus we've been waiting for?

In its Annual Report, the Protecteur du citoyen highlights the December 2023 adoption of the Act to make the health and social services system more effective. According to the announcements, the public network will have local management methods on a human scale. Will the reforms lead to better access to quality care and services? The Protecteur du citoyen will be keeping a close eye on the law's impact.

COVID-19 in CHSLDs: the aftermath

In June 2024, the Protecteur du citoyen received an updated action plan from the MSSS on the follow-up to its report on COVID-19 in CHSLDs during the first wave of the pandemic. Several recommendations are now well on the way to being implemented, while others require further work, in particular, publication of Québec's integrated plan for preparing for viral-type pandemics and use of emergency labour. The Protecteur du citoyen has committed to weighing in on these follow-ups in its Annual Reports.

2023-2024 at a glance

This year, 44.7% of grounds for complaints and reports concerning health and social services network institutions were substantiated. This proportion was much higher for complaints and reports concerning CHSLDs (61%) and hospitals (50.3%). Hospitals accounted for more than a third of grounds for complaints, reports or requests for assistance (38.6%).

In 2023-2024, the Protecteur du citoyen intervened with:

• 39 of the 52 institutions in the health and social services network (including the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services);
• 7 of the 87 other associate institutions;
• 40 private seniors' residences;
• 27 community organizations;
• 6 pre-hospital emergency services.

The Protecteur du citoyen acts impartially and independently to ensure that people's rights are respected in their dealings with public services. Its services are free and user-friendly.

To see the Protecteur du citoyen's 2023-2024 Annual Report, visit the Annual Reports section of our website.

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SOURCE Protecteur du citoyen

Information: Carole-Anne Huot, person in charge of media relations, Cell: [phone]/Phone: [phone], Email: [email protected]