Hull Hospital gurneys only 'good for recycling'

The Hull Hospital's fleet of gurneys is largely "obsolete" and needs to bereplaced, according to documents obtained by Radio-Canada under a freedom of information request.

Recent email exchanges indicate that 55 of the 141 gurneys at the hospital in Gatineau, Que.,have been in use for more than 20 years.

In an email exchange on Feb. 4, 2020, between a regularsupplier and an equipmentmanager at the Centre intgr de sant et de services sociaux de l'Outaouais (CISSSO), the gurneys were described as only being "good for recycling".

Thesupplier added that the health authority should buy at least 40 more, "just to remove those whichare obsolete."

In an earlier email from Sept. 19, 2019, one clinical and administrative co-ordinator wrote that there was "a great need for gurneys" at the Hull Hospital.

The documents show that in January 2019,CISSSO managers requestedsuppliers deliver five gurneys intended for the Gatineau Hospital to the Hull Hospital instead. Then this past January, a procurement officer also asked for the loan of two gurneys to the Hull emergency department, writing the need was "urgent."

"Please deliver them to us as soon as possible," the request said.

As of February 2019, 25 per centof gurneys in all Outaouais emergency roomswereover 20 years old. Hospitals in Maniwaki, Shawville and Saint-Andr-Avellinwerealso using "obsolete" and "inadequate" equipment, according to the same emails.

Gurneys 'safe for use': CISSSO

CISSSOdeclined to be interviewed, but in an email to Radio-Canada, media relations officer Marie-Pier Desprssaidthere was no shortage of gurneys and that"despite their age, theyare all safe for use".

Fifteennew gurneys were ordered at the beginning of the year, at a cost of$4,245 each.The Quebec Ministry of Health guidelines specifythat gurneys are expected to last at least 20 years.

Patient-rights group Action Sant OutaouaisbelievesCISSSO managersare doing what they can, given that they'redependent on government funding.

"[They must] always knock on the door of Quebec to get money for things as basic as gurneys," said group presidentDenis Marcheterre, adding CISSSO should act quickly to replace the equipment before four out of every fivegurneys becomeobsolete.