Quebec health minister orders external investigation into Manoir Liverpool residence

Quebec Health MinisterChristian Dubhas ordered an externalinvestigation into allegations of mistreatment and neglect atthe Manoir Liverpool seniors' home inLvis.

On Friday, the regional health authority forChaudire-Appalachesreleased its own report detailing how residents at the private facility wereunderfed, infrequently changed and bathed, and given expired medication over a period of five years.

NowDubhas asked for another report, this time looking at whythe top managersat the health authoritywere not aware of the conditions at Manoir Liverpool.

"The first report is not the end but the beginning," he said.

Speaking ata news conference in Quebec City,Dubsuggestedthe owners of the residence may have "knowingly hidden thingsfrom the public."

He said measures are needed to holdresidence owners accountable for the treatment of seniors in care.

The Quebec coroner's office isconducting its owninvestigation into several non-COVID related deaths at the Manoir Liverpool and the government is also investigating the Pavilion Bellevue, another facility belonging to the same owners.

Over the weekend, Seniors'Minister Marguerite Blais called onthe head of the health authority forChaudire-Appalaches,Daniel Par, to defend his handling of the situation.

Par is currently on secondmentfrom his post at theCISSS de Chaudire-Appalachesand isoverseeing the province's coronavirus vaccination campaign.

In a statement released on Saturday, Parsaid that he wasn't aware of allegations mistreatment at thefacility, which fellunder his authority.

He wrote thatmonitoring systems had failed "to detect the mistreatment that was taking place at Manor Liverpool," adding that had he known, he would have "acted sooner."

On Tuesday Dubspoke in support ofPar, saying that as head of the CISSS, Parhad acted in 13 cases where issueswere reported.

Dubnotedthat on each of those occasionsPar shut down or replaced the management of facilities where allegations surfaced.

Based on that track record,Dub said he couldn't imagine whyParwould fail to act on Manoir Liverpool if he'd knownwhat was going on.

Nevertheless,Dubsaid the external investigation will reveal the chain of information pertaining to Manoir Liverpool and establish "why the information didn't go all the way up to the top of the CISSS."

Dubconcluded by stating the relationship between health boards and private facilities needs to change from supporting managers to supporting patients and residents.