The pages accessible in English concern access to services and security in regard with health and social services in accordance with the French language charter. The Charter of the French language and its regulations govern the consultation of English-language content. 

Reorganization of CISSS de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue services to address workforce availability issues

Some services will have to be reorganized in order to address the major issue of workforce availability. In this regard, it should be remembered that the Quebec government is committed to discontinuing the use of private agency workers by October 2026. This firm intention, supported by all the establishments in the public health and social services network, is part of a series of actions aimed at making the health and social services network more humane and efficient.

Measures are being introduced to gradually reduce the use of private agency resources. A recent call for tenders sets out terms and conditions governing the use of private agency resources for various job titles, including nurses, nursing assistants, orderlies and health and social services auxiliaries. These new terms are applied since May 19, and have the impact of restricting the availability of independent workforce resources for the CISSS de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

Thus, it is necessary to review the supply and organization of certain services in order to maintain priority and essential services throughout the territory. As a result, some services will be made available at a different location or in a different way, while others will be reduced or may be temporarily discontinued.

In addition, it should be noted that:

  • The CISSS de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue makes every effort to ensure the maintenance of critical and essential services throughout the territory;
  • Providing accessible, safe and quality services is a priority for the organization;
  • The resumption of services on a regular basis will be ensured as soon as new resources are confirmed;
  • Regular communications will be made to clarify the reorganization measures.


Reorganization of services from June 24 to September 3, 2024

Measure

Comment

CHSLD

  • Reduce the number of nurses and beneficiary attendants present within the teams;
  • Other job titles will be used.

Measures updated since May 19.

Home support

  • Reduce the number of nurses and health and social service assistants while ensuring priority needs are met.

Measure updated since May 19, the service offering is modulated according to available resources.

Memory clinic and day hospital located in Rouyn-Noranda

  • Reduce the services in the memory clinic and the day hospital.

Measures updated since May 19.

Mental health and addictions

  • Reduce the number of nurses who offer external mental health services in certain sectors of the region.

Services will be modulated according to the resources available during the summer period.

  • Close the active mental health rehabilitation unit at Malartic Hospital (12 beds).

This measure will be updated from June 25, 2024.

Surgery and operating theater

  • Reduce activities in the operating room at Amos Hospital (maintaining 2/4 rooms and maintaining day and evening shifts);
  • Reduce activities in operating theaters in Val-d'Or and Rouyn-Noranda;
  • Urgent cases will be carried out as well as surgeries associated with cancer and some other non-urgent cases;
  • Postpone planning for bariatric surgeries.

Operating room at Amos Hospital:

  • The measure will be applied from June 24 to September 3.

Operating theaters at Val-d’Or and Rouyn-Noranda hospitals:

  • The measure will be applied from June 30 to September 3. Surgical activities will be modulated according to available resources.

Family Medicine Group (GMF)

  • Ensure a minimum of 60% of nurses working in GMFs to provide support to the 1st line.

Measure updated since May 19.

Public health

  • Ensure a minimum of nursing presence for all services, but with a modulation of services according to availability including the maintenance of services in rural areas;
  • Offer certain early childhood services through mother and child units.

Measures updated since May 19.

Nursing follow-up offered to people with chronic illnesses

  • Modulate the way in which people can benefit from monitoring and answers to their questions;
  • Reduced availability of nurses to ensure follow-up with people with chronic illnesses.

Measure updated since May 19.

Internal units housing users with an intellectual disability, an autism spectrum disorder or a physical disability from Rouyn-Noranda, Amos and La Sarre

  • Reduce the number of beneficiary attendants present within the teams;
  • Other job titles will be used.

Measure updated since May 19.

CLSC service points in rural areas

  • Service reductions will be applied in each MRC territory, ensuring that priority needs are met.

For details, please see this page.

 

As soon as additional resources become available, services will once again be offered to the population. In the meantime, several steps are underway, including a recruitment campaign to solicit new employees who can contribute to the service offering. Discussions are also underway with the Health and Social Services Institutions to identify and implement structuring measures that will ensure that services are maintained on a sustainable basis in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

It should also be noted that the CISSS de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue, in collaboration with numerous partners, is implementing a number of initiatives to attract, train and retain staff (regional, Quebec and international recruitment, self-management of schedules, daycare services, etc.), and that it is important to pursue these initiatives to reduce the impact of this situation.