If you’re an English-speaker in Quebec, you have the right to receive health and social services in English. Where and how English-language health and social services are offered depends on factors like available facilities, human resources, and budget. If you want these services in English, be sure to ask for them. More restrictive rules apply to accessing your medical record or other health-related government services in English.
Right to health and social services in English
If you’re an English-speaker in Quebec, you have the right to receive health and social services in English. For these services, you’re considered English-speaking if you’re more comfortable communicating in English than in French. Health and social services include
- local community services
- hospital services
- residential and long-term care services
- youth protection services
- rehabilitation services
Health and social services are available in English across the province. But where and how these services are offered in English depends on factors like available facilities, human resources, and budget. So some services may only be available in English in very few facilities, during certain time slots, or through an interpreter.
How to access health and social services in English
If you’re more comfortable communicating in English than in French, make sure to ask for health and social services in English as soon as possible. In some cases, you can ask for English at the time you’re receiving the service, like when you call 811 for non-urgent health issues or go to an emergency room for urgent care. In other cases, it’s important to ask for English when making an appointment to make sure you’re referred to a facility that offers the service you need in English.
Until you ask for English, health and social service providers must usually communicate with you in French by default. When you ask for English, this allows the person you’re communicating with to confirm your level of comfort in French and in English and direct you to the right person or facility.
If you think your right to health and social services in English isn’t being respected, you can file a complaint. Someone else can also file the complaint on your behalf. You can also contact a health-related community organization in your area for help with accessing different health and social services in English.
Medical records in English or French
Your medical record may be in English, French, or both. Usually, the person adding something to your medical record decides whether to use English or French for their entry. But French entries may be mandatory for some health and social services.
If you have a complaint about a lack of services in English that should be provided by a designated institution or under an access program, there is a complaint procedure.
Stricter requirements for other health-related government services in English
Sometimes, government bodies provide you with a service that’s related to your health, but isn’t considered a health or social service or a service required by your health. You need to meet stricter requirements to access these provincial and municipal services in English. It’s not enough to be more comfortable communicating in English than in French.
As an example, the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) is a government body that manages Quebec’s public health insurance plans. RAMQ may only be able to serve you in English if you meet the stricter requirements for provincial and municipal services.