Gatan Barrette opens new Vaudreuil-Dorion health centre

Health Minister Gatan Barrette inaugurated anewhealth care centre in Vaudreuil-Dorionon Monday morning.

The CLSC and ambulatory care centrewill provide primary and specialized care, like a hospital. According to Barrette, the only differenceis that there are no beds.

You have a point of care of service today in this installation that will cover almost every field of health care," he said. "This is something that we want to do elsewhere.

The nearly9,000 square feetcentreon Gare Blvd is intended to servethe 145,000 people in Vaudreuil-Dorion.

The provinceis paying $3.1 million per year to lease the building, as well as drawing an annual $2.8 million from aregional fund. The provincial government is also givingthe project a one-time injection of $3.9 million.

Province will see more of thecentres

Barrette says the new centre is a sign of things to come in Quebec health care.

We will see an integration, as we want to do elsewhere in the province," said Barrette at the inauguration. He says integrating social services care is a goal of the government.

As of now, people in Vaudreuil-Dorionneed to go to neighbouring cities to get specialized health care. Barrette says the focus is on decentralizing health care - and providing more services to people closer to where they live.

At the end of the day, at the end of this fall there will be more services.

Residents want a hospital

Sandra Martinelli says a new health care centre is improvement - but its just a band aid solution.

Martinelli says many of her neighbours go to Salaberry-de-Valleyfield or Pointe-Claire when they need emergency care, where itcan take up to eight hours before seeing a doctor.

Instead of an ambulatory care centre, she wishes the government would build a small hospital.

We dont have to have everything. You can still go to another hospital for major things.

The localMNA,LucieCharlebois, describes thecare centre as a victory for the region. Shes been fighting for a hospital for years andsays this centre will help fill a health care gap. However, she's adamant that a hospital will eventually be built.

As the minister said, hes going tocome back to announce where well put the hospital, she said. And Im working very hard on that.