$1.6 Million Invested into Pontiac’s Healthcare

Published by Ilsa Lima on 2012-08-13

By Andrea Cranfield

On July 20, MNA Charlotte L'Écuyer announced that the Quebec Government would be making an investment into the Centre for Health and Social Services of Pontiac (CSSSP) of about $1.6 million.

The money is part of an annual investment made by the government into health services in Pontiac.

"If it wasn't there, it would be very difficult to maintain and have equipment to function with, I mean it would be impossible to function because the foundations are very good at giving extras but you need a minimum to work with," said Gail Ryan, the Director of Physical Heath and Nursing Care programs at the CSSSP.

Ryan said the CSSSP receives approximately the same amount of money every year.

It was announced on July 13 that $784.6 million is being invested into health care in the province under the Québec Infrastructure Plan.

"These investments demonstrate once again the willingness of our government to support both the economy and employment as well as the network of health and social services in local and regional communities.  The amounts invested directly benefit individuals and groups for which the services are intended, while enhancing the working environment of different professional teams," said L'Écuyer in a press release.

The funding for the Pontiac region will be used for various repairs, maintenance and buying new equipment at various CSSSP buildings in Pontiac.

"As well, there's money in there for medical and non-medical equipment.  Non-medical equipment varies from chairs to kitchen to cleaning products," said Ryan.  "And medical equipment is everything that is clinical, whether it's surgical tables, blood pressure monitors, IV pumps, everything. From the big to the little, everything is needed."

Every three years, staff at the CSSSP make a list of what they will require over the course of the next three years.

"Within the institution, we do have a process by which we define our priorities so we make a list for the next three years of what we know we'll need to do or change or replace or buy but...sometimes priorities change, sometimes we have to readjust our list so we review it every year with the doctors and the chiefs of departments," said Ryan.

To date, lab equipment to analyze blood work has been purchased using money from the fund.

The Equity, August 8, 2012, Page 7