Recently, over 100 people from Marlborough wrote the Veterans Administration about the closing of an Acute Care Unit at Castle Point. We received a response that I feel was less than adequate.

The response letter said the closing was not in response to the transition of administration and the ensuing Federal hiring freeze. We know employees at Castle Point and they were told that the closing was in DIRECT RESPONSE to those events.

The letter goes on to confuse emergency acute care with substance abuse treatment. We know they are not the same, that’s why we were concerned the unit was closed.

Lastly, the VA is now transfering acute cases to outside hospitals by ambulance. Those of us who have to use private insurance know how costly that is. Who is paying that- the Veteran or the taxpayer? Either is unacceptable.

Veterans value the VA care, not only for it’s cost but for the fact that it is staffed by such a large number of fellow Veterans. We have been told this is especially reassuring to service people who are undergoing life threatening situations.

The letter assures us that the Unit will reopen “as soon as a qualified candidate is hired to oversee the unit”. 

With the latest government directive to lay off an additional 30,000 employees, I am sure no one is rushing to apply for the job.