CHSLD Herron : a complacent accreditation process and poor surveillance, says Me Jean-Pierre Ménard

MONTREAL, April 11th, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - The horror story revealed today concerning CHSLD Herron is unfortunately not surprising.  Over the past decades, Me Jean-Pierre Ménard has continually denounced practices of institutional maltreatment towards vulnerable elderly patients in CHSLDs across Quebec.

In the case of CHSLD Herron, a regional services agreement was concluded with the Montréal West Island IUHSSC.  The IUHSSC was buying spaces in this CHSLD and sending persons on the waitlist for long-term care in the public system in order to release hospital beds.  The horrific situation that is now coming to light demonstrates that the IUHSSC has not fulfilled its surveillance role and that it has not demonstrated any concern towards the wellbeing of the patients it sent in this CHSLD.

The accreditation report of the residence, from 2017, as well as the annual visits to evaluate the quality of the living environment, did not lead to any significant recommendation to improve the quality of services.  They were, in essence, complacent reports.  These laxist practices have allowed a situation of institutional maltreatment to continue in time over a number of years.  We are now learning that the IUHSSC already had concerns before the pandemic regarding the qualifications of the personnel and a situation of chronic shortage of personnel in the CHSLD.  Despite this, the surveillance and control over this residence was deficient to the point where 20% of its residents passed away in less than 3 weeks without the IUHSSC even knowing about it. 

A public coroner's inquest will be the only way to allow the public to understand what took place inside this residence.  It is urgent for the authorities to immediately check on the condition of the residents in the older private nursing homes, including those owned by the owner of CHSLD Herron.

The stated goal of the Legault government to improve the quality of the health care provided to elderly patients will require an in-depth revision of the accreditation process and surveillance mechanisms in place, including the Act To Combat Maltreatment Of Seniors.  More broadly, this horrific situation also demonstrates that it is impossible to reconcile profits with the wellbeing of elderly patients whose autonomy is declining.

SOURCE Ménard, Martin, avocats