CSSS-Gatineau placed under trusteeship

Health minister loses patience with Gatineau’s hospital losses

 

Laurent Robillard-Cardinal

The CSSS de Gatineau (CSSSG), which manages all city health facilities, was placed in trusteeship by the Minister of Health, January 12. An interim administration has been appointed and given 180 days to correct the CSSSG’s “culture of deficit”, said Minister Gaétan Barrette. His drastic move comes after the CSSSG presented an unbalanced budget, contrary to his orders.

The CSSSG predicted a deficit of $4 million for its March, 2015, budget, but the budget will be balanced by March, 2016, as per regulations. If a CSSS presents an unbalanced budget it must present a balanced budget for the following year. But the CSSSG plan, submitted to the Outaouais’ Health Agency, later rose to a $5.6 million deficit. Aylmer resident Jean Hébert, previously Director General of the Outaouais’ Health Agency, was appointed interim manager. 

This is not new. In 2000, the government took over the administration of the Centre Hospitalier des Vallées de l'Outaouais after 16 board members resigned during the difficult merger between the Hull and Gatineau hospitals, a process still incomplete.