For immediate release
THE 2014-2015 LEITÃO BUDGET: UNCERTAINTY FOR THE HEALTH SECTOR Montréal, June 4, 2014 – CNW/Telbec – The Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ) notes that the 2014-2015 budget unveiled by the Québec government falls within the context of overall austerity and, particularly for the health sector, uncertainty. With only 3% anticipated growth in health investments, which will invariably translate into important cuts in this priority sector, a black cloud now hangs over the health network. “Unfortunately, the return to fiscal austerity in the health sector brings back very unpleasant memories for family doctors who, like their patients, paid the price for unwarranted cuts in the late 1990s. Our only hope is that the government does not go after the people who provide direct care to the population. If cuts are to be made, the government has to start targeting administration and bureaucracy. This, moreover, is the commitment it made during the last election campaign. Making cuts in access to healthcare, especially medical care, would not only be unacceptable but it would go against past agreements. We have every intention of denouncing any move in this direction,” said Dr. Louis Godin, President of the FMOQ. “As to the specific question of doctors’ remuneration and staggering the increases negotiated and agreed to in the past by the previous Liberal government, the FMOQ remains in good faith. We would, however, like to clarify a few things. First, according to the latest information obtained, it would require far too much effort. For family doctors, this kind of staggering would happen over three years as opposed to two, because over the course of the past year the previous government rather insidiously refused to authorize enforcing agreements reached in due form. Next, any agreement over staggered increases must take into account deferred amounts and number of years in question. Lastly, equity also needs to take into consideration the effort demanded of family doctors as compared to the health network, other health professionals and specialists.” “Family doctors are willing to do their part to improve public finances and, in doing so, negotiate the staggering of some of the increases reached in good faith without resorting to any kind of pressure tactics. That is why, to date, the FMOQ has submitted a proposal that puts tens of millions of dollars on the table for each of the following two years, while proposing that the amounts be staggered over a reasonable time frame. Evidently, an offer like this is conditional upon the government showing us in black and white that what is being asked of family doctors compared to what is being asked of others, particularly our specialist colleagues, is equitable. No agreement can be reached without this, and certainly not without absolute transparency regarding equity on the government’s behalf,” concluded Dr. Godin.
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The FMOQ is an 8,000-member strong professional union representing the general practitioners of Québec. Its mission is to represent the professional and scientific interests of its members. For more information on the FMOQ, please consult its Web site at www.fmoq.org Source: Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec Jean-Pierre Dion, Director of Communications,
[email protected] Marie Ruel, Communications Advisor,
[email protected] Tel.: 514 878-1911 | Toll-free: 1 800 361-8499 | Media: 514 878-9160
