“An administrative investigation has been requested following complaints and the management of COVID-19 outbreaks,” confirms the office of the Minister responsible for Seniors and Caregivers, Marguerite Blais.
Difficult to have more details of the entourage of the minister, because the investigation is not finished.
« We act with caution. We want to ensure the well-being of residents in all living environments in Quebec. At this CHSLD, we want to determine what could be problematic and implement solutions, if necessary. »
According to a government source, several complaints about this CHSLD of 150 residents have arrived in Minister Blais’ email since the start of the pandemic and even in recent months.
“It is an establishment recognized as problematic, indicated this source familiar with the matter. The problems keep coming back, but nothing is done. »
According to two other sources involved in the investigation, who cannot speak because of ongoing verifications, the complaints come from both employees and families of residents.
Staff shortages complicate outbreak management
Like many CHSLDs, the Vigi Reine-Élizabeth has lost a lot of workers since the start of the pandemic, especially beneficiary attendants.
In November 2021, families had complained in various media that the lack of staff made it difficult to administer basic care, even food. And to make matters worse, an infestation of bed bugs affected one floor.
At the same time, when an outbreak was raging, relatives complained that the elders were locked in their rooms by means of wooden planks installed in the lower half of the door frame.
“The measures put in place during outbreaks can sometimes raise questions and reactions from certain families,” writes the deputy CEO of Vigi Santé, Jean Hébert, in an email sent to Radio-Canada.
« Despite our efforts to establish a dialogue in order to find satisfactory solutions, it sometimes happens that dissatisfaction persists and families decide to communicate their dissatisfaction at other levels. »
The organization adds that it has “undertaken to meet with all the families in order to validate their level of satisfaction and to determine with them the improvements that we could make to the quality and safety of our care and services”. .
“When we have recommendations, we implement them quickly in order to improve the quality and safety of services offered to CHSLD residents,” assures Jean Hébert.
According to a source familiar with the matter, conditions have indeed improved in recent times in the establishment.
Fined by the CNESST in 2020
In May 2020, the CHSLD Vigi Reine-Élizabeth received support from the Canadian Armed Forces. In their report, the military had reported a shortage of medical personnel and attendants of 30%.
In the summer of 2020, the establishment received a statement of offense from the Commission for Standards, Equity, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST) for not having corrected breaches reported on the port protective equipment and on travel between hot and cold areas during the first wave.
In March 2021, the Administrative Labor Tribunal declared that Vigi Santé ltée “did not adequately determine the necessary measures to be observed to avoid the risk of transmission of COVID-19 during breaks and meals” at the CHSLD Vigi Reine -Elizabeth.
Vigi Santé is a group of 15 private CHSLDs under agreement that receive funding from the Ministry of Health and must meet the same standards as public establishments.
One of them, the CHSLD Vigi Mont-Royal, caught the eye during the first wave, when 100% of its residents were infected with COVID-19. The faulty ventilation system had been pointed out to explain the rapid spread of the virus.
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