'What isn't controversial these days?' Higgs says of impending health-care review

HALIFAX -

The New Brunswick government is about to release a major reform of the healthcare system and in an interview with CTV Atlantic, Premier Blaine Higgs says it is likely to be controversial.

"What isn't controversial these days?" Higgs said Wednesday. "Anything that we want to do to change or improve the systems, always people resist change, but yet they'll say 'do something.' So this health plan does something, but it works with every community to get it done."

Higgs says he wants the province's two health networks to work collaboratively – rather than compete with each other

Higgs said the health-care review will be unveiled Nov. 17, but did say not to expect a merger between Horizon and Vitalite.

"We'll continue to have a Vitalite and Horizon, but we need an over-arching aspect of what services can be delivered in each network, because it doesn't make sense to have two hospitals next to each other competing with each other," Higgs said. "We know what the demands in health-care services across the country and there's a shortage of workers and health-care professionals particularly, we must find innovative ways to be better in our province."