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The Québec Complaint Examination System: Stakeholder Perspectives on the Purpose and Intake of Complaints

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Abstract

Québec's complaint examination system has devoted considerable effort to supporting dissatisfied users who may wish to register complaints. It is open to question, however, whether this level of effort has, in fact, aided users in filing their complaints, and whether, once filed, the intake and processing of complaints has been rigorous and fair. Has the intake and handling of complaints at least improved? This is the question we shall attempt to answer here by presenting the results of our study concerning the impact of the Complaint Assistance and Support Centers (CAAPs) on the intake of complaints. The results show that the Québec complaint examination system and its Complaint Assistance and Support Centers help make complaints more admissible and ensure that each complaint is examined. However, the system is also hindered by differences and conflicting interpretations among the various stakeholders regarding the legitimacy of complaints, respect for users’ rights, and the mission of the system. Although complaint examination systems seek to encourage users to express their points of view, users’ voices are still only partly audible.

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Notes

  1. This system resulted from the Québec government's adoption in1991 of the Act Respecting Health and Social Services and Other Legislative Provisions (Loi sur les services de santé et les services sociaux et modifiant diverses dispositions législatives). It should be noted, however, that in autumn 2001, The Quebec National Assembly passed the Act Respecting the Health and Social Services Ombudsman (Loi sur le Protecteur des usagers en matière de santé et de services sociaux) modifying various provisions concerning the examination of complaints, such as those set forth by the 1991 law.

  2. The official name of CAAPs is Centres d’assistance et d’accompagnement aux plaintes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, Laval University, Québec, Canada

    Michèle Clément

  2. Health and Social Services Center of the Old Capital Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Laval University, Québec, Canada

    Éric Gagnon (Researcher)

  3. Centre de santé et de services sociaux de la vielle-capitale, 55, ch. Ste-Foy, bureau 227, Québec, Qc., Canada, G1R 1S9

    Michèle Clément

Authors
  1. Michèle Clément
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  2. Éric Gagnon
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Correspondence to Michèle Clément.

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Clément, M., Gagnon, É. The Québec Complaint Examination System: Stakeholder Perspectives on the Purpose and Intake of Complaints. Health Care Anal 14, 51–63 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10728-006-0009-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10728-006-0009-5

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