SACKVILLE, N.B. — Rural New Brunswickers are breathing a sigh of relief tonight after the Premier announced he will put a hold on the overnight ER closures his government announced on Tuesday to allow for community consultations.
In a statement on the Government of New Brunswick website, Premier Blaine Higgs said he came to this decision after receiving a “multitude of reactions and genuine concerns to the regional health authorities’ reform plan” over the course of the past week.
“Most New Brunswickers understand and agree that we have a crisis in health care in this province, however we don’t have clarity about what’s required to address it,” Higgs stated.
Higgs went on to add that he is concerned by the number of gaps in the health system that have been identified as the days have rolled on. He said the current state is not acceptable and New Brunswickers deserve better.
“I recognize that people in rural New Brunswick face unique challenges and come to the table with a unique perspective,” he said. “With that in mind, the regional health authorities have agreed not to proceed with the implementation date of March 11 for the reform plans. This means the health authorities will not proceed with the reduction of hours in emergency departments in Sussex, Sackville, Sainte-Anne-de-Kent, Caraquet, Grand Falls and Perth-Andover.”
Higgs said he can’t, in good conscience, move forward without addressing the concerns and fears that have been brought to light.
“That’s why I will personally visit these communities to initiate the process to ensure that we hear from community leaders, the people delivering care and concerned citizens.”
These community meetings will be held in April and May.
The provincial government also has plans to hold a health-care summit in June, with plans to develop a strategy to ensure a sustainable and reliable public health-care system for the future.
“This must also address the challenges faced in rural communities,” stated Higgs.
The findings from the community meetings and the summit will be released in the fall.
“I have said time and time again that we are on a mission to save New Brunswick, and that includes tackling the crisis in health care,” he said. “An aging demographic coupled with a growing labour force shortage is hampering our ability to provide the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
“But we need people in this province to be part of the solution and that must start with hearing from the people most impacted.”
The provincial government announced Feb. 11 it would be cutting emergency room operating hours at six New Brunswick hospitals, including the Sackville Memorial Hospital, starting March 11. The ERs were set to close from midnight to 8 a.m., with no patients accepted after 10 p.m.
It was also announced the six hospitals would also see changes to its acute-care beds, with the 120 beds being converted to long-term chronic-care beds. Sackville's day surgery program was also on the chopping block in Tuesday’s announcement.
Tonight’s statement from the Premier, however, made no mention of the cuts to the surgery program in Sackville or the change of the acute-care beds to long-term chronic care beds.
