A GROUP which has been campaigning to save the "lifeline" Milldale Centre say that they have still been left with unanswered questions.
A number of parents and carers have met almost every week since December 2023 to discuss how they are going to try to save the Linwood centre that is so dear to them.
They started gathering after a "surprise" decision at a meeting held by Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) the week before Christmas which proposed to merge the Mirin Centre in Paisley and the Milldale Centre.
Now, in the week when the Intergration Joint Board (IJB) is due to make a decision, the group say that they are still left with many unanswered questions.
Lesley Orr, who has previously spoken about how the closure of the day centre would impact her daughter, Katie, admits that despite being a crucial decision the service users are still left with lots of unanswered questions.
She said: "We have not been represented appropriately.
"In our two engagement sessions that I have been allowed to go to, I have looked through the information that has come out of that and still left confused.
"Three months later from the meetings I am still waiting for answers (to questions) for points that need to be discussed.
"We are all waiting for answers still."
One service user, who wishes to remain anonymous, claims that despite everyone putting all their questions down on a piece of paper to be answered - this never happened.
Annmarie Miller, from Ferguslie Park, stated that carers and service users were promised to be supported by HSCP, but claims they have not been.
She said: "They keep saying that they (HSCP) are supporting us.
"But who is supporting us, really? Nobody.
"They say that have supported service users but they haven't.
"There has been no support and no answers and that is what is really sad to see."
Councillor David McGonigle had previously invited a senior official to attend what was described as a "crucial" meeting, however, they advised they would be unable to attend.
The reason given for declining the invite was that the health body felt it was "critical that we capture people’s views in a consistent way".
Another service user, who wishes to not be named, says that this was the start of the relationship falling down between parents and the HSCP.
They claim that a public hearing would have allowed "key questions" to be asked with answers that would have helped families plan for the future.
David McGonigle, Conservative politician for Houston, Crosslee and Linwood, said: “I have been incredibly proud to have stood alongside local campaigners to fight against plans to merge these centres.
“It has blown me away to see how they have built up momentum for this campaign and attracted nearly 4000 signatures to a petition.
"Hearing many stories first-hand has left me in no doubt that this will have a devastating impact on many of my most vulnerable constituents.
"They cannot ignore these concerns any longer and must urgently consign these planned cuts to the dustbin."
Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership declined to comment.
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