April 29, 2022

Press release published by the twelve groups, associations and professional orders that are the signatories of the petition advocating for a law on safe healthcare ratios in Québec *, including the FIQ and the FIQP.

No less thantwelve groups, associations and professional orders are launching a petition today demanding a law on safe healthcare ratios in Québec. As one, they are demanding the government pass a law now, guaranteeing minimum safe ratios to ensure the safety and quality of the care provided to the entire population of Québec and begin the gradual implementation of this law immediately.

“Our healthcare system suffers from significant functional problems. The teams providing direct patient care have been overloaded and exhausted for years. This situation  means that they find themselves, despite themselves, obliged to prioritize care when they are not able to provide it all.  In the end, it is the clients, caregiving staff and family caregivers who suffer and pay the price. The COVID-19 crisis revealed an unacceptable situation that has gone on for too long. We should be able to rely on a guarantee of a level of care in Québec does not depend on budget cuts, that doesn’t change according to the political decisions taken by governments or those taken by the health institutions.”

Spokespersons for the signatories of the petition advocating for a law on safe healthcare ratios in Québec*

Attraction and retention

All the spokespersons have no doubt that safe ratios should be a mandatory standard applicable everywhere in order to always have complete  and competent care teams. They are necessary to attract staff to the network and so the staff already working in the network can remain healthy and enjoy a rewarding work environment, for the benefit of the care provided to the people of Québec.

“Many people think, incorrectly, that because of the staff shortage ratios cannot be implemented. On the contrary, ratios will be the impetus needed to attract and retain healthcare professionals in the public health network. That is exactly what California and the State of Victoria in Australia succeeded in doing by implementing ratios.”

Spokespersons for the signatories of the petition advocating for a law on safe healthcare ratios in Québec*

The signatories are therefore calling on the government to pass a law now, a law guaranteeing minimum safe ratios to ensure the safety and quality of the care provided in Québec.

“To support this momentum, we are demanding the government implement a provincial workforce strategy in health care to recruit, train, support and maintain at work an adequate supply of caregiving staff to ensure there are competent and complete teams across the province. Let’s act together to save lives, improve health care, and preserve the dignity of the people of Québec.”

Spokespersons for the signatories of the petition advocating for a law on safe healthcare ratios in Québec*

The petition is available at ratiosensante.org. The signatories demand more specifically that:

• This law on healthcare professional-to-patient ratios should ensure that established ratios are always respected everywhere in Québec .  
• The law  should explicitly define the ratios to implement based on the needs of groups of clients and the population for all front-line, 2^nd line and 3^rd line care contexts.
• The law  should also stipulate that the health institutions are accountable for its implementation and compliance.
• The law should stipulate that ratios are upgraded as needed, based on the patient’s health, needs of the communities and complexity of the care.

*The signatories of the petition advocating for a law on safe healthcare ratios in Québec are:

• Association québécoise des infirmières et infirmiers (AQII)
• Association québécoise des infirmières et infirmiers en gérontologie (AQIIG)
• Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec–FIQ
• Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec–FIQ, FIQP | Secteur privé
• Groupe de concertation et d’influence en soins infirmiers du Québec (GCISIQ)
• Mouvement d’éducation populaire et d’action communautaire du Québec (MÉPACQ)
• Médecins québécois pour le régime public (MQRP)
• Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec (OIIAQ)
• Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ)
• Proche aidance Québec
• Réseau FADOQ
• Regroupement interprofessionnel des intervenants retraités des services de santé (RIIRS)