The Gatineau Hospital in Gatineau, Que., is seen in an undated archival photo.
Western Quebec's health authority has come up with a summer contingency plan as it deals with staffing shortages that could see imaging services at the Gatineau Hospital completely halted and transferred to the Hull Hospital. Western Quebec's health authority says it's planning ahead for what could be a very difficult summer for the region's hospitals due to staffing shortages.
Bilodeau said the region's health-care personnel are entitled to taking summer vacation, and given the fact the region is already short workers, staffing will be a bit tighter this summer."It's the time of the year where families are reunited and can take some time off. I have no choice then to reduce some level of services, mainly for surgical services as well as digital imaging — so X-rays and CT scans and so on," Bilodeau said.
In a worst-case scenario, the plans describe completely closing imaging at the Gatineau Hospital and transferring the remaining employees to the Hull Hospital.The Hull Hospital would then host the short-term care unit, neonatology, obstetrics, intensive care, pediatrics and maternity, while the Gatineau Hospital would take care of emergency units and mental health hospitalizations.
"Forcing the professionals to go work somewhere else will cause even more to leave the health-care system. That's inevitable," Renaud said."We'll be paying for collateral damage caused by this plan for many years to come."
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