In an interview with Radio-Canada a week ago, Bernard Lordwho is CEO of Medavie, argued that provincial governments should decentralize care to better serve their populations.
Bernadette Landry, co-chair of the New Brunswick Health Coalition, believes that the exact opposite is going to happen
.
The more private we add to the health system, the more our public system will weaken. Our public system is already very weak
she said Sunday in an interview with the Telejournal Acadie.
Health care workers are already overwhelmed, largely because there aren’t enough of them, she said. In his view, the private sector makes this situation worse.
« We already have such a great shortage, why steal personnel from the public system to weaken it even more? That’s what I find that doesn’t make sense in Bernard’s words Lord. »
Privatization means that we will seek out personnel who are currently in the public system and we will bring them into the private system. It means fewer people who will be there to take care of the sick in hospitals, for example
she says.
Medavie Health Services New Brunswick has operated the ambulance system since 2007. The Liberal government of Brian Gallant awarded him a contract in 2017 to manage home care services for the Extra-Mural Program. The company also manages Health Link NB, created in 2022.
While the leader of Medavie advocates greater decentralization in the province, the Health Coalition spokesperson believes that resources should instead flow back to the public system. Everything that is being done by Medavie right now could easily be done by the public system. It was done before by the public system
argued Bernadette Landry.
She is also concerned about accountability. information, puisque c'est une compagnie, ils n'ont pas intérêt à donner de l'information au public","text":"Medavie est avare d'information, puisque c'est une compagnie, ils n'ont pas intérêt à donner de l'information au public"">Medavie is stingy with information. Since it’s a company, they have no interest in giving information to the public
she said on Sunday.
Bernard Lordwho was Progressive Conservative premier of New Brunswick from 1999 to 2006, sees the reform orchestrated in Ontario by Doug Fordwhich wants to see more of the private sector in the delivery of care, as a model for Fredericton to follow.
Bernard Lord is the CEO of Medavie, headquartered in Moncton, New Brunswick.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Nicolas Steinbach
Bernadette Landry refutes the arguments of Mr. Lordwhich believes that governments should inwards
by opening the door more to the private sector.
Innovation can be positive or negative. We can innovate, but in a very negative way that will harm the system. And that’s what the private does
she said on Sunday.
She accuses the company of to withdraw
of valuable staff
to the public system, in particular forcing the health networks to resort to itinerant private nurses who cost the State millions of dollars a year.
Payments and subsidies from the New Brunswick Department of Health to Medavie for health services have increased from $100 million in 2016 to more than $218 million in 2022, according to the province’s public accounts.
This is due to the takeover of the Extra-Mural program during this period. Last week Bernard Lord also claimed that patient volumes are now higher.
According to information from Margaud Castadère and Nicolas Steinbach
