N.B. Official Opposition looking for answers on multi-disciplinary clinics

The New Brunswick Legislature in Fredericton, New Brunswick on Thursday February 4, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Stephen MacGillivray)

With sickness on the rise everywhere this winter, New Brunswick's Liberal party asked government what exactly it is doing to help keep people out of emergency rooms.

"What I don't hear from this [health] minister is his commitment to implementing the multi-disciplinary care centres,” said Rob McKee, leader of the Official Opposition during question period Friday.

The minister of health said this year his department has the most money it’s ever had, but that's not where the problems lie.

"Staffing is the biggest challenge I would say,” said Bruce Fitch.

Paula Doucet, president of the N.B. Nurses Union, says there is a global shortage of nurses.

“As well as other health-care professionals, but I don't think that's the excuse not to try,” Doucet said.

“I think going the route of multi-disciplinary clinics and multi-disciplinary teams throughout the province needs to be started and invested in because it's not going to get better doing nothing,” she continued.

Doucet says multi-disciplinary clinics could help alleviate some of the pressures ERs are facing.

"Sometimes, somebody doesn't necessarily need to see a nurse practitioner or a family physician,” Doucet said. “They may need a social worker or a dietician or another professional.”

Opposition parties say they just want to see progress.

"We should be far above 14 community health centres with multi-disciplinary teams by this time in the province," said David Coon, New Brunswick Green Party leader.

McKee says he'd like an update from the health minister on the status of the clinics.

“However hard they might be to put together, I would like some indication that it is a priority of government,” he said.

Representatives from Horizon Health -- one of the province’s two health authorities -- and the New Brunswick Medical Society were not made available for comment.