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The McGill University Health Centre has closed a 20-bed, chronic-care unit at the Montreal General Hospital because of a lack of provincial funding, despite the fact the MUHC has at least 60 patients in need of such care.

The MUHC received funding last summer to open the unit for patients who are considered “end-of-active care.” Normally, these patients should be transferred as soon as possible to nursing homes, rehabilitation centres or convalescent facilities, but the MUHC and other acute-care hospitals are often stuck with them because there are no beds available elsewhere.

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Pierre Hurteau, co-president of the MUHC Central Users’ Committee, criticized the government for not opening enough beds in long-term-care centres.

“It was premature to close this 20-bed unit when resources weren’t added” to the system, Hurteau said. “With the aging of the population, there are more and more patients who need long-term care.”