Ren-Cassin CLSC health care workers protest cuts

Despite reassurances that the closure of the Ren-Cassin CLSC seniors' day centre would be reconsidered, health care workers say they've been told to refer seniors elsewhere.

Last weekthe head of the new health services organization, Lawrence Rosenberg, suspended the plan to close the CLSC'ssenior services until all programs are reviewed.

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But the spokesperson for the union whichrepresents health car workers,Jose Frchette,says Rosenberg is being disingenuous.

"They've announced that they weren't going to shut down the drop-in centre, but then again they are giving some directions to employees to refer the patients to other places so they can diminish the clienteleand eventually close down the centre even though they said they wouldn't close it," said Frchette.

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The plan was to cut CLSCservices that included home visits to isolated seniors, counselling for caregivers and daytime activities for seniors. Most of the services offeredwere free or affordable.

A drop-in centre at the Cavendish Mall that allowed seniors to come by for daily activities was also slated to close for good at the end of May.

The cuts were to come in the wake of Bill 10 being adopted at the National Assembly in February. The new law abolishes the boards of individual health institutions, mainly hospitals, and merges them into 28 regional boards.