Quebec close to eliminating 1,300 healthcare jobs

The Quebec government is close to reaching its goal of eliminating 1,300 management jobs in the healthcare system.

Health Minister Gatan Barrette confirmed that 1,140 jobs will be merged or eliminatedby the end of March 2016 nearly 90 per cent of the province's objective.

• Quebec health cuts are short-sighted, expert warns
• Gatan Barrette's health care revolution: what you need to know
• Budget cuts pushing MUHC doctors to the limit, top surgeon says

The changes comeunder Bill 10, a controversial healthcare reform bill that passed in the National Assembly in February 2015.

It has resulted in the abolishmentthe boards of individual health institutions, mainly hospitalsand mergedthem into 28 regional boards.

'It's going very well'

Bill 10 has resulted in a mix of eliminating job posts but also employees retiring or leaving their fields.

"In my opinion, I think it is going very well in terms of reform," Barrette told Radio-Canada.

Barette said 424 employees left their jobs "to do something else," while 382 accepted a bonus to take early retirement or leave.

Another 334 professionals opted for retirement or early retirement at no additional costs to the province.