A large crowd turned out in Dieppe, to talk about the government’s plans to privatize Extra Mural services, to be overseen by Medavie Blue Cross.
Ministers Roger Melanson, Monique LeBlanc and Bernard LeBlanc also attended the public meeting, held at the Wingate Hotel.
Executive Director of the Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home residents Rights Cecile Cassista says the comments were less than positive, “A lot of comments, a lot of people who are angry because the government is going down that road.”
Cassista says people are insisting that the government needs to go back to the table with this, “We are not accepting the privatization of extra mural. We have professional people speaking. The doctors were there and they’re overly concerned, and it’s time to push back.”
She adds they don’t have an issue with integrating Ambulance New Brunswick, extra mural, and Telecare 811 together, but it must remain publicly funded and publicly administered.
Cassista adds that there is some confusion with the message that is being delivered by the provincial government, “They’re relating it to homecare, and that homecare is not covered by Medicare. This is not home care. This is basically extra mural, that provides medical services to people who are at home, to early release from hospital, or to keep them from going to hospital or postponement to go to a nursing home.”