Medical society has not seen N.B.'s primary health-care transformation strategy, says president

The New Brunswick Medical Society has not seen the province's primary health-care transformation strategy or the 18-month action plan, quietly launched about six months ago, according to the president.

"The NBMS is not aware of any comprehensive provincial strategy related to primary health care," said Dr. Paula Keating.

The professional association, which represents more than 2,000 practising, future, and retired physicians in the province, was not involved in developing the strategy either — "beyond typical budget submissions and discussions directly related to the negotiation of recent improvements to the Family Medicine New Brunswick program," she said.

The strategy and action plan, which the Department of Health has committed at least $10.3 million annually toward implementing, have not been made public.

Keating suggested a white paper the Department of Health hired a consultant to prepare has also been kept confidential.

Department spokesperson Sean Hatchard declined a request by CBC News to release the strategy and action plan. The department is still reviewing a request from the legislature's standing committee on public accounts last month, he said.

Green Party health critic Megan Mitton, who only learned of the strategy and action plan through mention in an annual report submitted to the committee, asked deputy minister Eric Beaulieu during a Feb. 21 appearance whether they could be released.

"I believe we can, but I want to check a few things first," Beaulieu said at the time, without elaborating.

The deputy minister did, however, provide committee members with a "high level" overview. He said the strategy includes having interdisciplinary primary care teams consisting of doctors, nurses, and other allied health professionals, working either within the same setting or having formalized agreements with each other to care for patients.

The strategy also includes working with the regional health authorities to "renew" community health centres and health service centres across the province, making them more efficient, and enhancing electronic medical records — "making sure that we have a well-connected system so that if a Patient C is part of a clinic, that electronical medical record can be reviewed by any of the professionals that are providing care," Beaulieu said.

It's unclear whether the strategy includes any specific targets.

The $10.3 million budgeted by the department for initiatives contained within the action plan does not include additional funding already budgeted by the regional health authorities, Hatchard said. He did not provide any other details.

According to Keating, the medical society is aware that the department and the Executive Council Office held a series of meetings with the regional health authorities and "select stakeholders" early in 2023, following a call for ideas related to the 2023-24 provincial budget."

The government's hired consultant subsequently drafted a white paper, and government representatives presented the society's board of directors with "initiatives that were under consideration at the time," Keating said in an emailed statement.