Quebec wants to tighten the use of relief staffing

A special bill that Quebec Premier François Legault's government tabled earlier this month as an attempt to increase its authority over the province's medical and healthcare oganizations includes a clause wIn the seventh point of the proposed measures (known as Bill 2), the government wishes to add "community pharmacies to the list of service providers who may only use the services of a staffing agency or independent labour to the extent provided for by government regulation."In response, the Quebec Association of Pharmacy Owners (AQPP) has sent a message to its members emphasizing that pharmacy staffing shortages and retention are issues of utmost concern and that it has already raised these concerns with the government on several occasions. While expressing satisfaction with the provisions aimed at regulating replacement agencies, the Association nevertheless emphasized its concern that the measure was included in a special law. This, it argued, "restricts dialogue between associations and the government [...] and runs counter to the principles we uphold."The AQPP reiterates that the legislative provision will only come into effect after the adoption or amendment of regulations. "No immediate changes are expected regarding the use of replacement agencies."In a statement released to its members, the Quebec Federation of Pharmacists (FPQ) welcomed the provision in the bill. "This measure is necessary to protect access to care, clinical continuity, and the stability of primary care in Quebec," the Federation states. "Regulating agencies solely in the public sector would have been pointless: it would have simply shifted the problem to community pharmacies, which remain the primary point of access to care for the population." The FPQ specifies, however, that " structural solutions must accompany this ban." It gives the example of measures to promote sustainable recruitment, the attractiveness of workplaces, retention, and professional development.The president of the Professional Association of Salaried Pharmacists of Quebec (APPSQ), Patrick Hemery, has emphasized above all his surprise at seeing such a provision presented in a special bill.

Quebec wants to tighten the use of relief staffing

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