Protect Public Health Care Sunshine Coast (PPHC), a group opposed to the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) plan to purchase long-term care beds in a private, for-profit facility in Sechelt, is holding an information meeting April 30.
The event comes with just under a week to go in the provincial election campaign, and the deal between VCH and Trellis Seniors Services has emerged as one of the key local issues.
PPHC is bringing in Andrew Longhurst and Edith McHattie to speak at the Sunday afternoon forum.
Longhurst is a researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, and the author of the centre’s recent report “Privatization & Declining Access to BC Seniors’ Care – An Urgent Call For Policy Change.” The report claims a shift to private-sector providers has created “a crisis of declining access to residential care, assisted living and home health services.”
McHattie is a member of the BC Health Coalition’s steering committee, representing the Health Sciences Association, and the coalition’s co-chair.
The forum takes place at the Sechelt Indian Band Hall from 2 to 4 p.m., and will include a Q&A following the presentations.
