HealthNew Provincial Health Plan puts needs of patients first (08/04/01)NB 384 April 1, 2008 FREDERICTON (CNB) - More than $154 million will be invested in new and enhanced health services over the next four years as part of the new Provincial Health Plan released today by Health Minister Michael Murphy. The $154-million investment is over and above the estimated $9 billion in funding required to maintain existing health services over that period. "Our new health plan sets the course for the transformation of our health system so that it will meet the needs of patients today and in the future," Murphy said. "It is a system that puts patients first and will be sustainable for future generations." Transforming New Brunswick's Health-care System: the Provincial Health Plan, 2008-2012, was developed over the past year based on input from residents, stakeholders and health care experts from New Brunswick, across Canada and beyond. "Our new health plan is not the end, but the beginning of a journey that will shape health care for future generations of New Brunswickers," Murphy said. "We are taking action to preserve the best of what our health system offers and to strengthen those areas where New Brunswickers have told me we are not meeting their needs or those of their children." A major thrust of the health plan is to address unmet or rapidly growing needs in the areas of mental health services, addictions services, services for children and youth and support for the increasing number of New Brunswickers with chronic diseases such as diabetes. "The greatest opportunities for improving New Brunswickers' health and the sustainability of our health-care system lie in helping people to be and stay healthy in the first place," the minister said. "Our health system must evolve from a 'find it and fix it' approach to more of a 'prevent it, find it and manage it' philosophy. This means placing much greater emphasis on promoting healthy child and adolescent development, focusing more effort on problems such as mental health and addictions, continued enhancement of primary health care and strategies to prevent and better manage chronic diseases." Murphy said transformation of the health-care system requires changing the way it does business. "To do this, we must build a single, well-integrated provincial system - one that makes the best use of our human, infrastructure and financial resources," he said. "We have already taken steps to modernize our organizational structures, including moving to two Regional Health Authorities in order to reduce costly duplication. Now, we need to focus on the clinical side of health care, which is what the new health plan is all about." The Provincial Health Plan is built around six strategic pillars. They are:
There are more than 100 separate initiatives that will be undertaken during the four-year plan based on the strategic pillars. These are designed to:
The more than 100 initiatives include:
"These initiatives and the dozens more that are part of the Provincial Health Plan will put us on the road to a thriving, healthy, productive and self-sufficient New Brunswick," Murphy said. "They will support our vision of a health-care system that provides New Brunswickers with enhanced access to quality health care, promotes superior population health and serves as a leading example of New Brunswick's capacity for transformational change." In fiscal 2008-09, more than $40 million will be invested in initiatives contained in the Provincial Health Plan. Transforming New Brunswick's Health-care System: the Provincial Health Plan, 2008-2012, and a companion document on all the initiatives that are part of the health plan are available online at http://www.gnb.ca/health. 08/04/01 MEDIA CONTACT: Johanne Le Blanc, communications, Health, 506-457-3513. 08/04/01 |