88% of Quebecers believe that user/patient committees must represent the
needs of the users.

SAINT-HYACINTHE, QC, Oct. 21 /CNW Telbec/ - In a survey that Leger Marketing made public during the convention of the Regroupment of Provincial User Committees (RPCU) that is being held currently in St-Hyacinthe, 88 % of Quebecers think that user committees that exist currently within health and social service establishments must represent the needs of the user/patients.

"These figures are important for our network of health and social services" declared Claude Menard, President of the RPCU. "They show the importance given by Quebecers to the user and residents committees. These committees are the voice of the citizen within the health care system. But like other citizen voices, sometimes they are annoying."

For 85% of Quebecers, it is important that an organism exists that defends the rights of users and represents them. However, at the time of budget cuts and change in the health care system, it is important that the user and resident committees obtain the place that is reserved for them within their establishments. In effect, only 30% of Quebecers know of their existence.

The RPCU convention is an occasion where the network of 594 resident and patient committees can meet together and reflect on their actions and other means to become better known by Quebecers.

The Director General of the RPCU, Pierre Blain said that "Our convention is the ideal occasion to train the citizens who wish to become invested in the mission to defend the rights of users/patients". Unfortunately, the mission is often not well understood and the autonomy of the committees suffers.

The user and resident committees were created by Law 83. The mandate of these committees is to be the guardian of the rights of the users/patients. They must oversee that the users are treated with respect of their dignity while being aware of their rights and freedoms. They are important spokespersons for the users before the various levels of the establishments.

The provincial Regroupment of User Committees was born of the desire of User and Resident committees to be able to have a voice and to represent themselves. The RPCU will follow attentively the proposals that will be put forward in the coming months to modify the Governance of the institutions in the Health and Social Service network to assure that the voice of the citizen members of the user and resident committees is heard within the core of the Boards of Directors of the establishments.

For more information, you may consult the web site of the RPCU at www.rpcu.qc.ca

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