By Canadian Press

Quebec coroner tired of finger-pointing over deaths at Montreal long-term care home

Oct 26, 2021 | 11:06 AM

MONTREAL — A Quebec coroner is reminding an inquest into deaths at a privately owned Montreal long-term care home that the regional health authority and the home’s management were both responsible for care of vulnerable patients.

Géhane Kamel told a hearing today that both parties were “accountable” and “responsible” for the elderly who had been placed under their care.

She said she is growing tired of finger-pointing between health authority managers called in to help at Résidence Herron during the pandemic’s first wave and the home’s representatives.

Her comments came as the health authority’s deputy director took the stand for the first time during the inquest.

Najia Hachimi-Idrissi testified that the health authority was unable force three doctors assigned to Herron, who were seeing patients through telemedicine as COVID-19 cases mounted, to treat patients on site.

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She also maintained the health authority could not oblige unionized employees to report for work at Herron.

She said that is why non-unionized managers were the first to arrive at Herron to provide help in late March 2020, noting that many of the managers had nursing training.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2021.

The Canadian Press