Health and Wellness
Record budget of $1.774 billion for Health and Wellness (05/05/25)
NB 622
May 25, 2005
FREDERICTON (CNB) - Health and Wellness Minister Elvy Robichaud today presented the department's record ordinary account budget estimates of $1.774 billion, an increase of 10.2 per cent compared to the budget tabled in 2004-05.
"This is a budget to budget increase of $164.6 million," Robichaud said. "The increase is 6.1 per cent, or $102.8 million, over revised spending in 2004-05 because we invested $61.8 million more last year in health care than originally budgeted."
Highlights include:
- $1.006 billion for Hospital Services, an increase of $55.5 million over revised spending for 2004-05;
- $404.5 million for Medicare, an increase of $20.5 million over last year's revised spending;
- $142.59 million for the Prescription Drug Program, an increase of $11.79 million compared to revised spending in 2004-05;
- $61.69 million for Mental Health services and programs, an increase of $4.3 million over revised spending last year;
- $34.27 million for Public Health services, an increase of $2.68 million over revised spending in 2004-05; and
- $50.94 million for Ambulance Services, an increase of $8.18 million compared to revised spending in 2004-05.
Robichaud said the investments will support existing health care services while also introducing new or enhanced services as part of the Provincial Health Plan, Healthy Futures.
Healthy Futures is the blueprint for the future of health care in New Brunswick," he said. "Under this plan, we will ensure New Brunswickers receive the care they need, when they need it, in the language of their choice, and in a fashion that taxpayers can afford."
As part of the four-year plan, the government will invest $125 million in new and enhanced health and wellness services for New Brunswickers that is over and above the additional funding required to maintain existing services.
Robichaud said the department will invest over $41 million this year on Provincial Health Plan initiatives.
This includes $15.09 million to fund 20 new billing numbers for physicians and to address the impact that adding doctors has on the health system, such as more surgical procedures and diagnostic testing resulting from improved access for patients.
"This brings to 45 the number of new billing numbers added in the first two years of our plan, and puts us well on our way to meeting our commitment to add 70 new billing numbers over four years," the minister said.
Robichaud announced two new incentives to recruit and retain physicians, bringing to five the number of new incentives created under the Provincial Health Plan.
The new incentives are a $6,000 bursary that will be provided to 40 medical students, and a student loan forgiveness program for New Brunswickers who return to the province to practice medicine in designated areas.
"With the addition of these latest incentives, we have fulfilled the recruitment and retention commitments made in the Provincial Health Plan," he said.
Together, the department will invest $1.4 million this year in the five new incentives.
"Since 1999, we have seen a net increase of 177 physicians in our province and this success can be directly tied to our recruitment and retention strategies as well as our decision to fund 30 medical seats for New Brunswick students," Robichaud said.
The minister said $1.275 million is budgeted to add 10 Nurse Practitioner positions, bringing to 20 the number added since the Provincial Health Plan was released in June 2004.
Another $500,000 will be used to recruit and retain allied health professionals, such as pharmacists, therapists and technologists. Recruitment incentives will include the introduction of a bursary program to target hard to recruit sectors and regions, as well as the addition of new residency programs for pharmacy and psychology.
Robichaud announced $2.9 million to provided increased hours of operation for ambulances in areas of the province determined to have the greatest need.
The minister noted that $1.2 million is included in the budget to continue upgrading the skills of ambulance personnel. As well, as of April 1, 2005, the government will absorb the cost of emergency ambulance service, for which New Brunswickers paid about $3.2 million out of their own pockets last year.
He said $2 million will be invested this year in wellness initiatives in what is the first year of a multi-year wellness strategy called Healthy Living for Children and Youth.
"This money is earmarked for programs to promote the importance of healthy living, including eating sensibly, exercising and not smoking," Robichaud said. "Adopting these positive lifestyle choices will result in healthier and longer lives for individuals and will have a profoundly positive impact on our health system."
The Health and Wellness Department will invest $3.864 million to provide vaccines for babies, children and adolescents.
Robichaud said this will fund a new vaccine introduced in March for babies as well as flu vaccines introduced last year for babies under the age of 24 months and vaccines for chickenpox, meningitis type C and whooping cough for children and youths.
"This new vaccine for infants, Prevnar, prevents infections from seven types of pneumococcal bacteria that can cause meningitis, pneumonia, serious infections of the bloodstream and middle ear infections," Robichaud said. "It is available for all children born after Jan. 1, 2005."
The minister said $4.85 million will be invested through the Extra-Mural Program to expand home health care to acute care and palliative care patients.
This will include funding for 15 new full-time positions for physiotherapists and occupational therapists to provide rehabilitation services in the home setting. It will also add funding to the base budget of the Extra-Mural Program for 32 nurses, social workers and respiratory therapy workers hired earlier this year.
"This also includes $700,000 to expand short-term personal support services to patients who require acute and palliative care in their homes," Robichaud said.
Another $700,000 will be invested to meet the home care needs of New Brunswickers with mental health challenges. This includes adding 13 new, full-time positions to enhance the province's mental health crisis response system.
A mental health crisis response model implemented in Region 2 found that a well coordinated, integrated crisis response system increases clients' access to services and their satisfaction and decreases demands on the ER treatment and hospitalization of mental health clients.
"Therefore, in addition to the mobile crisis unit already established in Region 2, we will add three similar mobile crisis units to serve clients in the northern, central and southeast areas of the province," Robichaud said.
Accessibility of psychiatric resources in rural areas will also be enhanced through the implementation of a Tele-Mental Health Program. The program will provide psychiatric assessments to patients in their community.
The budget contains $3 million for the establishment of new satellite dialysis units in the Sussex Health Centre, the Saint Joseph Community Health Centre in Dalhousie, at a temporary location in the Upper St. John River Valley until the new hospital in Waterville is completed, and at the Hôpital de Tracadie-Sheila.
Methadone maintenance programs established last year in Saint John, Moncton, Fredericton and Miramichi will receive $1.2 million in operational funding.
Robichaud said his department will invest $4.355 million to improve surgical access. Of this amount, $3.855 million will be invested in cardiology services, both at the New Brunswick Heart Centre to provide operational support for a third cardiac catheterization lab, and in other RHAs throughout the province.
"This third lab will allow us to meet current and forecast demand at the New Brunswick Heart Centre and will reduce the wait time for procedures," he said. "This lab will also have electrophysiology equipment so we can provide procedures not previously available within New Brunswick."
The investment in access management includes $500,000 this year for work in the development of a surgical access network to ensure New Brunswickers have timely access to surgical services.
"As stated in the Provincial Health Plan, we will look at the factors that influence wait times and review the wait time situation in New Brunswick," he said. "This work will also include the development of a surgical patient registry, a standardized patient assessment process, target times for surgery and public reporting of results."
05/05/25
MEDIA CONTACT: Krista Petersen, Communications Services, Health and Wellness, 506-453-2536.
05/05/25