Demand growth is "dehumanising" public services in Quebec: Ombudsperson
The ombudsperson reported that his office received a record number of issues to investigate across the province’s public services, totaling 24,867, up from 22,053 last year.
Quebec’s ombudsperson has raised concerns that public services in the province are becoming “dehumanized” due to an increasing demand for these services.
Marc-André Dowd published his annual report today, which showcases various instances of inadequate care experienced by individuals within the health network over the year ending March 31.
One case highlighted involved a dying man living alone who was denied assistance with cleaning his cat’s litter box by his local health clinic, a service Dowd argues should have been provided for “humanitarian reasons.”
Dowd also noted that staff at a long-term care facility were observed feeding residents in a “mechanical” manner while conversing with one another, despite health ministry guidelines emphasizing the importance of maintaining eye contact with residents.
The ombudsperson reported that his office received a record number of issues to investigate across the province’s public services, totaling 24,867, up from 22,053 last year.
He mentioned that between April 2023 and March of this year, his office looked into 13,358 cases.
