FREDERICTON -- New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has seen his throne speech voted through -- but just barely.

The vote was 24 to 22 and once that nail-biter was over, MLAs switched their attention to an issue plaguing the province: health care, and what to do about understaffing and over capacity.

"Things are reaching a crisis point right now," said Dr. Chris Goodyear, a general surgeon at Fredericton's Chalmers' Hospital who sees the difficulties first-hand.

"I've seen issues around trying to get a person out of an acute care bed in a hospital to a nursing home, and the delays that often occur," Goodyear said.

It's not that the person doesn't need care, they just don't need hospital care, but there aren't enough nursing home beds -- or home care workers -- to meet the need.

"So we're certainly encouraged by any changes that government is looking to make," Good year said.

Premier Blaine Higgs said "there will be some serious evaluations and proposals coming forward."

Healthcare has dominated conversation in the legislature over the last two weeks.

Sparked by the situation in Campbellton, where the region's hospital had to shut down three units last week after dozens of patients had to be put on stretchers.

The hospital's 145 beds were full and 70 of those beds were being used by patients who need a nursing or special care home bed -- not a hospital bed.

The units have since reopened, except gynecology.

"We have received a lot of calls, emails," said Guy Arseneault, the MLA for Campbellton-Dalhousie, who says the problem hasn't been solved in a week.

"Those patients have to be moved to nursing homes," he said. "The beds are there, but the staff are not there, and the staff that are there are working heavy hours,

CTV News spoke with the Vitalite and Horizon health authorities -- and the New Brunswick Medical Society.

They all agree on one move, Goodyear said, of putting the nursing home beds under the health portfolio.

Right now, social development looks after nursing homes and the health department, of course, takes care of hospitals.

The three groups believe that by combining the two under one department, it would help the flow of patients waiting for a place in a nursing home.

"But we need to think long-term as well, in terms of human resource planning for the province," Goodyear said. "What people need? What services? Where? Who's going to provide those services?"

Goodyear says the medical society is scheduled to meet with the department of health next week.

The legislature is now breaking for a week and Higgs is off to Toronto on Sunday for meetings with Canada's premiers.

He did say that a conversation regarding health transfers is expected.