Higgs’ Government insisting on control over Health Authority’s Board and expansion of Private Health, wrong moves

May 11, 2023

Fredericton – NBNU is strongly opposed to the Higgs’ government’s move to expand the offering of more services in private clinics and other legislative changes being made to change how boards are appointed.

“Opening more private clinics is only going to steal resources from our public system with promises that we, the public, won’t be expected to pay,” said President, Paula Doucet. “But we all know too well this is just opening the door for more private for-profit opportunities which will further degrade our public healthcare system.  We have a pro-privatization premier and government that have no scruples or ethics when it comes to taking care of society, especially the most vulnerable of our society.”

New Brunswick hospitals are already facing critical shortages of healthcare professionals, including RNs, LPNs and NPs.  Enabling private offerings for services previously offered in hospitals only takes the few resources that still exist in hospitals and moves them to clinics.

Likewise, changes which stop the practice of elected board in favour of government-appointed representatives for the Health Authorities are also troubling.

“What we are seeing is a government that wants more control and power over boards and entities in the province,” said Doucet. “What the Higgs government is doing at our legislature and in our province is both shameful and destructive.”

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The New Brunswick Nurses Union (NBNU) is a labour organization of approximately 8900 nurses who are employed in various healthcare facilities throughout the province of New Brunswick.

Contact:

Jane Matthews-Clark
Communications Officer
[email protected]

Phone:  506-453-7265
Mobile: 506-897-3951