Health minister Gaetan Barrette says his reforms of the health care network are complete, and that there won't be any more changes in the coming months.
“The reforms that were to be put in place have been put in place. That's the reality. In terms of reforms, laws, regulations, whatever word you want to use, it is done,” he told reporters at the opening of his government's 24th superclinic in Montreal — a concept which he hopes will help curb wait times in hospital emergency rooms.
Barette admits, however, that his government is still short of its initial goal of getting 85 per cent of Quebecers a family doctor.
“At this very moment, we are 200,000 people away from the target that we have determined. So if the target has to be raised, if the population is asking for more, we will raise it,” said Barrette.
He adds he's currently in talk with the nurses' union to address the issue of burnout — an issue which one nurse working out of the Eastern Townships highlighted in a viral Facebook post — which also spawned others.
To mark the end of cost-cutting measures, Barrette announced an extra $8.6 million for health care between now and March 31st.
He's urging health-care administrators to use the money to treat more patients, and cut waiting lists.