Roger Melanson is the interim leader of the Liberal Party of New Brunswick. (Image: Roger Melanson/Facebook)
The Liberal Opposition leader agrees with the New Brunswick Nurses Union’s recent report on long term care services.
In the report, the union cites that chronic understaffing and a lack of government oversight has resulted in residents going without baths or access to toilets, and an increase of violent incidents.
In a statement, Roger Melanson says the report rightly raises alarm bells on the state of the province’s long term care system.
Seniors and Long-Term Care Critic Guy Arseneault says he’s heard from many family members with parents or other relatives in long-term care who are seeing what is happening first-hand are distressed about the lack of care.
“They know that staff in our nursing homes are doing everything they can, but the nursing homes are short-staffed and they just can’t keep up with patient demands. Frankly, many of them are exhausted,” he says.
Melanson believes the situation can no longer be ignored and agrees with the Union’s call for an independent commission under the Inquiries Act.
He says government must act now to come up with an action plan that will address immediate needs in addition to developing a longer-term plan.
