/R E P E A T -- Media Advisory - OPSEU to hold town hall meeting in St. Catharines to discuss quality of home care/

ST. CATHARINES, ON, Nov. 20, 2015 /CNW/ - OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas and OPSEU Local 294 are inviting citizens of the Niagara region to a town hall meeting this Tuesday in St. Catharines to discuss the plummeting quality of home care in Ontario.

Date:   Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Time:   6:15 p.m.
Place:  Grantham Lions Club Hall
            732 Niagara Street, St. Catharines

The public is being asked to come forward with stories as home care patients and families.  The discussion will look at the current state of home care and how the home care system could be improved.

Thomas said that the "current home care system cheats Ontario residents of the quality of care they deserve.  Too much money is diverted to executive paycheques and profits.  The Auditor General's research shows that only 61 per cent of the government funding actually goes to face-to-face treatment of patients.  The public needs to know these facts."

Local health care and community leaders are also attending, including  OPSEU 1^st Vice President/Treasurer Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida; MPPs Cindy Forster and Wayne Gates; Sue Hotte, Co-Chair, Niagara Health Coalition; and Natalie Mehra, Executive Director, Ontario Health Coalition.

SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)

Erin Warman, President, Local 294, 905-329-2705, [email protected]