We are following the events of COVID-19 very closely. We encourage you to be vigilant, wash your hands and take care of yourself in this difficult time. Our team continues to practice social distancing and therefore will continue to work from home.
Message from Diane Quintas, Executive Director of the Réseau to our members and Francophone community regarding the regulations pertaining to the French Language Health Planning Entities
March 19 2020Please be assured that we continue to work according to a normal schedule and that our files continue to move forward. We believe it is a good idea to share with you the work being done by the Regroupement des entités de planification des services de santé en français (Regroupement des entités) as part of the public consultation on the new regulations on the French Language Health Planning Entities (March 2020).
For the past ten years, the French Language Health Planning Entities (the Entities) have contributed constructively and collaboratively to improving French-language health services in Ontario. The current transformation of the health system has prompted the Regroupement des entités to undertake a review of their role and contribution to improving health services in French and to propose amendments to the new Entities Regulations.
The Regroupement des entités works very closely with the Government of Ontario, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Long-Term Care, the Ministry of Francophone Affairs, Ontario Health, and Ontario Health Teams to ensure that French-language health services are considered in the transformation of the health system.
The Regroupement des entités provided feedback to the Ministry of Health on the Connecting Care Act, 2019 (April 2019) and more recently as part of the public consultation on the new regulations on the Entities (March 2020). Although the recommendations presented by the Regroupement des entités were well received by government officials exchanges, the Ministry of Health did not take them into consideration when preparing the legislation.
The Minister of Health has proposed to use administrative means to address the issues and priorities raised by the Regroupement des entités. The Regroupement des entités is proposing that a working group be established quickly, and mandated to carry out the work proposed in the Minister’s letter.
We will keep you informed of developments with respect to this file. For more information, you may also consult the position paper of the Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario (AFO) regarding the regulations.
The Regroupement des entités consists of the six provincial French Language Health Planning Entities; (Réseau du mieux-être francophone du Nord de l’Ontario (RMEFNO)); (Réseau des services de santé en français de l’Est de l’Ontario (RSSFE)); Entité de planification pour les services en français du Centre Sud-Ouest (Entité 4); Reflèt Salvéo; (Entité de planification des services de santé en français Érié St. Clair/Sud-Ouest); (Entité de planification pour les services en français dans les régions de Waterloo, Wellington, Hamilton, Niagara). The French Language Health Planning Entities were named by the government in 2010 with one objective: improving access to health services in French.