Nouvelles
Times and Transcript
p. A1, vendredi, 26 décembre 2008
Health changes go ahead: premier
MARY MOSZYNSKI
The Liberal government vows to defend its decision to overhaul the province's health care system, saying it can't afford duality.
The restructuring of regional health authorities dominated much of the political debate in 2008.
Health Minister Mike Murphy said the move was necessary to cut waste and unhealthy duplication within the system.
However, critics argued reducing the number of health authorities from eight to two, including the loss of the Beauséjour Regional Health Authority, would take the governance of health care away from Acadians.
Retired Supreme Court Justice Michel Bastarache is acting as a legal adviser to the Moncton-based group Committee for Equality in Health Services that has launched a legal challenge in a bid to have the reforms reversed.
Members of the committee have said the outcome of the court case may be duality -- two health systems based on language.
Premier Shawn Graham says the province simply can't afford duality in the health care system.
"Duality in health care would bankrupt the
The province was aware of the possibility of a legal challenge before announcing the reforms, Graham added.
"Often these changes are addressed through the courts and we knew that going into this process," he said.
"I feel confident the changes that we've embarked upon are the right changes for our province."
Leaders in the Acadian community have called on Murphy to designate health authority 'B' (based in Miramichi) as English while health authority 'A' (based in
However, Murphy has resisted that argument, saying it could open the door to duality in the system. Instead, government introduced amendments confirming the existing working language of each hospital.
Regional Health Authority B will serve the hospitals previously administered by the South-East,
Regional Health Authority A will serve the hospitals previously administered by the Beauséjour, Edmundston, Campbellton and
Dr. Hubert Dupuis of the Committee for Equality in Health Services has said the aim of the group is not to create duality but to restore a French health authority.
"We think the Murphy reforms are not constitutional and they are illegal, and they must be rejected, now what the judge will decide afterwards is hard to say," said Dupuis. "Will the judge institute duality, will he propose equality? In the law, it says equality, so I can presume that a judge will rule what a judge reads, but I don't want to presuppose what a judge will say."
Murphy said New Brunswickers are mostly satisfied with the services they receive from hospitals.
"We have a 96 per cent favourability rating in New Brunswick as it pertains to satisfaction on being served in the language of your choice at all institutions. We have 78 per cent favourability -- one of the highest in the country -- when it pertains to our health care system," he said, citing poll numbers that will be released in January.
Murphy has said the changes will not only save the health system millions of dollars but will also make it easier for patients to access care in other regions of the province.
"We're not going to be constantly under pressure to duplicate infrastructure and availability of services that are (available)
For example, having two health authorities will allow patients in one community to travel more easily for treatment in another city.
As well, doctors will no longer be designated to one hospital or cluster of health facilities within a single community, he said.
In addition to two health authorities, Murphy also announced the creation of the New Brunswick Health Council, which will encourage consultation with the public and act as a 'quasi auditor-general' for the two regions, ensuring services are being provided properly.
The health council is based in
Murphy also announced the creation of a new public company that will eliminate duplication of non-clinical services such as laundry and payroll.
It's expected that within five years, the new shared services agency will save more than $20 million annually.