New Brunswick 2018 Election Campaign

Question 1 response:

A re-elected Liberal Government will partner with the New Brunswick Medical Society to actively recruit new doctors and develop better recruitment incentives to attract doctors to the province, including in rural areas. Currently, programs and budgets to recruit doctors are managed by the Regional Health Authorities and the Department of Health. These efforts would be repurposed and overseen by a partnership between the provincial government and the New Brunswick Medical Society. Furthermore, we will budget to invest in 90 net new doctors, 50 net new nurse practitioners, 40 net new nurses, 80 net new licensed practical nurses, and 80 net new resident attendants for nursing homes. Among these initiatives and others, a re-elected Liberal Government would also leverage the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program as a means of recruiting more medical professionals from outside the country, and work with professional associations expedite the certification process to allow professionals to practice as soon as possible. On top of this, we will continue to work with partners to increase the number of seats at the medical training programs in Moncton and Saint John.

Question 2 response:

Our Liberal Government is committed to making prescription drug prices affordable for New Brunswickers, which is why upon re-election in 2014, the Gallant Government made amendments to the Prescription and Catastrophic Drug Insurance Act that allowed the government to eliminate the previous Conservative Government’s plan to make it a mandatory requirement for New Brunswickers to have prescription drug insurance. Our Liberal Government also created two new premiums for low-income earners in the New Brunswick Drug Plan. This action has provided a New Brunswick Drug Plan that is more fair and reasonable for those that choose to join it. Our Liberal Leader, Brian Gallant, was glad to host the Council of the Federation meetings in June, one of which focused on health and improved access to healthcare. Many informative and valuable discussions of the national pharmacare plan arose at this meeting, specifically regarding costs and consistency across provinces, as well as federal involvement. Going forward, a re-elected Liberal Government will continue to engage in further discussions on this file to sort out more details, while proactively prioritizing initiatives for preparation of this plan or another. Together, with the Federal Government and other provinces and territories, we will finish what we started to find common solutions on how to improve health-care services for all Canadians.

Question 3 response:

Our Government is currently establishing a formal cancer patient navigation program (Commitment #105) in cooperation with the New Brunswick Cancer Network (NBCN). As a first step to designing and implementing the cancer patient navigation program, NBCN conducted a community consultation with key stakeholders around the province. The goal of this consultation was to identify barriers to accessing services and supportive care for cancer patients and their families. NBCN subsequently developed a program design based on the findings of the community consultation, literature review and an environmental scan of cancer patient navigation programs and best practices in other jurisdictions. The NB Cancer Patient Navigation Program design recommendations were finalized and approved by the Department of Health in June 2018. The Cancer Patient Navigator job description has been finalized and an interim rating obtained from the Treasury Board (July 2018). Current on-going activities include finalizing budgetary details based on the interim rating for the Cancer Patient Navigator position; discussing job description with regional health authorities (intent, funding, timelines for hiring); establishing an Advisory Committee of key stakeholders to advise and facilitate coordinated development, implementation and on-going monitoring and evaluation of the NB Cancer Patient Navigation Program, once the navigators are hired. The timing of  the full implementation is dependent on the duration of the hiring process for cancer patient navigators.

Dear Ms Manthorne,

Team Higgs

Question 1 response:

A Green government would take 4 specific steps to improve access to primary health care services:
a) Create 40 new nurse practitioner positions
b) Allow nurse practitioners and pharmacists to bill Medicare for health services
c) Eliminate the government-imposed caps on Medicare billing numbers
d) Add eight new community health-care centres staffed by collaborative family health care teams, including mental health professionals and nurse practitioners.

Question 2 response: 

The Green Party supports a national, universal pharmacare program. In the interim, a Green government would eliminate the annual premiums for the New Brunswick Drug Plan for individuals earning less than $25,000 and families of four earning less than $40,000.

Question 3 response:

A core principle of the Green Party is to consult with those affected by decisions. We would decentralize the regional health authorities to allow more decisions to be made at the local level. We will create community health councils which will consult at a community level.

Yours truly,

David Coon
Leader, Green Party of New Brunswick
Chef du Parti Vert du Nouveau Brunswick

Question 1 response:

As outlined in our platform (page 13)

Health care is not a business, and the public health system should not be run like one – or by one. Instead, it should be organized to meet citizens’ health needs effectively, with decisions about providing care made at the community level.

A Green Government would:

- Increase to nine percent the proportion of the Department of Health’s budget dedicated to providing mental health and addiction services.

- Cancel the contract with the private company Medavie for managing our extra-mural health services, and return management responsibilities to Horizon and Vitalité.

- Place our ambulance services under public management and initiate a public inquiry into how they can be improved.

- Give hospitals the authority to make decisions about how best to provide timely access and care to patients and enable all staff to collaborate to implement them.

- Create 40 new nurse practitioner positions, and allow nurse practitioners and pharmacists to bill Medicare for health services to reduce wait times for primary health care.

- Eliminate the government-imposed caps on Medicare billing numbers, so more doctors can open practices in regions where there is a demand for their service.

- Add eight new community health-care centres staffed by collaborative family health care teams, including mental health professionals and nurse practitioners.

- Integrate midwives into each of New Brunswick’s health regions.

- Enable optometrists to work to their full scope of practice to prescribe glaucoma treatment, for example.

Question 2 response:

On Page 17 of our platform we have:

Eliminate the annual premiums for the New Brunswick Drug Plan for individuals earning less than $25,000 and families of four earning less than $40,0007 , and support implementation of a national Pharmacare program

Question 3 response:

Greens believe in patient-centered health care.  While we don’t use the specific term ‘Patient Engagement Committee’ in our platform, we have some items that directly support this goal.

Our vision includes this principle:

- Communities make important decisions about health services, education and economic development;

As mentioned above, our platform includes this statement:

- Give hospitals the authority to make decisions about how best to provide timely access and care to patients and enable all staff to collaborate to implement them

Dear Ms. Manthorne;

Thank you for providing me with an opportunity to address these critical issues. We all know somebody whose lives have been touched by cancer. My mother and both brothers died of it, all of them far too young.

Alleviating the medical, emotional, financial and social costs of cancer and encouraging research on ways to overcome barriers to optimal cancer care and follow-up for survivors in Canada is essential. I might add, that more must be done as well to further control airborne pollution in Saint John, where, as you know, the lung cancer rate is double the national average. The necessity for more stringent anti-pollution regulations is reflected in our party’s election platform.

Access to primary healthcare
It is inexcusable that so many New Brunswickers have no access to primary care. When I first returned to the province several years ago, I could not find a family doctor despite the fact that I have Type 1 diabetes. I was, however, fortunate enough to be seen by an excellent nurse practioner who helped me to manage my chronic illness until I was finally able to locate a doctor who was willing to take me on as a patient.

As outlined in our platform, the Green Party will:

- create 40 new nurse practitioner positions and allow nurse practitioners and pharmacists to bill Medicare for health services to reduce wait times for primary health car

- eliminate the government-imposed caps on Medicare billing numbers, so more doctors can open practices in regions where there is a demand for their service

- add eight new community health-care centres staffed by collaborative family health care teams, including mental health professionals and nurse practitioners

National Pharmacare
As outlined in our platform, the Green Party will:

- support implementation of a national Pharmacare program

- eliminate the annual premiums for the New Brunswick Drug Plan for individuals earning less than $25,000 and families of four earning less than $40,000

While our platform does not go into details on the Pharmacare program, as an MLA, I personally would not be satisfied with one which provided drugs that only meet the “lowest common denominator”. Nobody should be left out of such a program. All essential drugs and associated resources (i.e. blood glucose test strips or electronic monitors for diabetics) must be provided.

Patient engagement
While I do not see anything in our platform that specifically calls for dedicated patient engagement committees to advise the provincial government on healthcare issues, I personally believe that this is worth pursuing. As you point out, patients are a key stakeholder in the healthcare system. They must be included in the decision-making process at the provincial level
to ensure optimum outcomes.
The issues that you have raised and asked me to address are critical to the lives of all New Brunswickers. I sincerely hope that they will be implemented in a timely fashion, regardless of which party forms the next provincial government.

Yours sincerely;

Doug James
Green Party candidate

Hi Jackie,

Question 1 response:

Create 40 new nurse practitioner positions, and allow nurse practitioners and pharmacists to bill Medicare for health services to reduce wait times for primary health care.

• Eliminate the government-imposed caps on Medicare billing numbers, so more doctors can open practices in regions where there is a demand for their service.

I personally had to wait a few years after my doctor retired to get a doctor so understand how this affects peoples lives when you have only the medical clinics and hospitals to turn to.

Question 2 response:

Eliminate the annual premiums for the New Brunswick Drug Plan for individuals earning less than $25,000 and families of four earning less than $40,0007, and support implementation of a national Pharmacare program.

This is something very important for me in NB we have an aging population and many do not have a large amount of finances to work with. My own father would purchase only half of his prescriptions due to cost unfortunately this didn’t help his health problems. A National Pharmacare program is long overdue.

Question 3 response:

- Give hospitals the authority to make decisions about how best to provide timely access and care to patients and enable all staff to collaborate to implement them.

- Make the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the province’s top doctor responsible for public health, an independent arm of the Department of Health, reporting directly to the Legislative Assembly; and restore the staff and resources that were removed from the Office by the Liberal government.

The issue of high cancer rates is not one spoken about enough in NB. I am actually involved in politics because of my doctor who retired and has now become my friend and mentor when advocating for different issues. She had helped create this report:

https://globalnews.ca/news/237738/conservation-council-hopes-n-b-govt-will-act-on-report-linking-cancer-to-communities/

Best Regards,

Lynaya Astephen

1-Si vous êtes élu-e, quelles mesures votre gouvernement prendra-t-il pour accroître la disponibilité des médecins de famille et des praticien-ne-s de la santé au Nouveau-Brunswick?

Si nous sommes élus comme gouvernement majoritaire le parti vert du Nouveau-Brunswick éliminera le plafond imposé par le gouvernement sur le nombre de numéros de facturation à l’assurance-maladie afin de faciliter l’installation des médecins dans les régions qui requièrent leur service. Il ajoutera de nouveaux centres cliniques de santé communautaire dans lesquels travailleront des équipes de soins en médecines familiales qui comprendront des professionnels en santé mentale et des infirmiers infirmières prêtes praticienne. Ciara quarante nouveau postes des fermiers praticiens des fermières praticiennes afin de réduire le temps d’attente pour les soins primaires et autorisera ses professionnelles et les pharmacies à facturer leurs services à l’assurance-maladie.

Si nous sommes élus comme gouvernement minoritaire ces mêmes idées seront apportées à la chambre législative pour être étudiées et nous le souhaitons, adoptées.

2-Si vous êtes élu-e, votre gouvernement appuiera-t-il la mise en place d’un programme national d’assurance-médicaments garantissant l’accès aux médicaments sur ordonnance et un plan de couverture allant au-delà d’un formulaire répondant au plus petit dénominateur commun?

Si le gouvernement parti vert du Nouveau-Brunswick est élu il éliminera la prime annuelle du régime médicaments du Nouveau-Brunswick pour les personnes dont le revenu est entre 25,000$ et 40,000$ dans le cas des familles et donnera son appui à l’adoption d’un régime national d’assurance médicaments. Il augmentera aussi l’aide financière aux organismes communautaires et entreprises sociales qui fournissent du soutien direct aux personnes vivant dans la pauvreté et réduira la paperasse nécessaire pour avoir accès aux services fournis par le ministère du développement social.

Si nous sommes élus comme gouvernement minoritaire ces mêmes idées seront apportées à la chambre législative pour être étudiées et nous le souhaitons, adoptées.

3-Si vous êtes élu-e, votre gouvernement prendra-t-il des mesures pour créer un comité de participation des patients qui conseille directement le gouvernement sur les enjeux liés à la santé?

Si nous sommes élus, j’en suis certaine, il sera possible de discuter de cette question avec vous, notre chef de parti et tous les autres candidats du parti Vert du Nouveau-Brunswick.

4- Pour ma part ma priorité est celle-ci: Ma priorité en tant que députée verte sera de m’occuper des problèmes au niveau de la santé et des services qui font défaut à cette situation. Mon but premier, serait de pouvoir obtenir des fonds afin de faire construire ou d’inclure un centre de traitement pour le cancer à l’hôpital régional  d’Edmundston. Il est tout à fait inacceptable et inhumain que des gens souffrant de cancer ait à faire dix heures de route au total pour obtenir des soins, des résultats d’examens ou des traitements qui se font à Moncton. Il y a de l’argent dans les coffres du gouvernement qui est en place présentement et cet argent doit servir pour les citoyens qui sont de plus en plus mal en point. Nous avons le plus haut taux de cancer dans la région du Nouveau-Brunswick, donc il est facile de comprendre l’urgence d’obtenir ce service dans notre région. Chacun de nous ou presque connaît quelqu’un qui a un cancer et qui se bat pour le vaincre. À mon avis, c’est seuls arguments devraient suffire à faire ouvrir les coffres du gouvernement. Il ne s’agit pas ici de calculs, de revenus, de dépendance ou de souci du détail mais bien de la santé de tous les citoyens citoyennes de ma circonscription et cette santé n’a pas de prix. Naturellement, ceci est ce que je souhaite parvenir à accomplir, ceci n’est pas une promesse électorale.

Je vous remercie pour vos questions et en espérant vous avoir répondu de la meilleure façon possible et compréhensible,

Sophie Vaillancourt

Candidate du Parti Vert du NB