‘Not normal’: Staff at Montreal’s Douglas Hospital pleading with Quebec to improve facilities

Nurses, doctors, and staff at the institution say the facilities need substantial renovations.

Nurses, doctors and staff at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute are at their wits’ end, pleading for an overhaul of the hospital’s facilities for more than five years.

They got a boost from Quebec solidaire MNA Alejandra Zaga Mendez.

“It’s not normal that mental health patients are living in these conditions,” she says.

Mendez challenged Health Minister Christian Dubé to stop by the institute to see the situation first-hand.

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“The Douglas needs to be reconstructed,” she says.

The Douglas was founded in 1881. According to workers, 80 per cent of the institute’s infrastructure is now in poor or very poor condition.

The issues include mold in the showers, decaying walls and no air conditioning.

Neuropsychiatrist Dr. Simon Ducharme says an outdated electrical system has also caused a threat to security.

“A safe environment means that you can have functional units with controls. Basic things like ID cards allowing you to access with locked doors that are functioning,” Ducharme said, adding that some units have experienced malfunctions.

Deficiencies in IT infrastructure can also make it difficult to track electronic medical records, he explains. Then there’s the issue of rising admissions, which has led to overcrowding.

In a statement to CTV News about the state of the Douglas, Santé Québec wrote “improving our infrastructure is a priority for Santé Québec. We are awaiting information from the Quebec government regarding the Quebec infrastructure plan.”

“What we want is to accelerate the project so it does not become an electoral issue, because then the fight needs to restart one more time,” MNA Mendez says.

Whether it’s renovating or building a brand new facility, she just hopes the government acts soon.