The Broken State of Healthcare in New Brunswick: Stories from the Front Lines

Healthcare is a fundamental right, yet the current state of our healthcare system in New Brunswick tells a different story. Over the past few weeks, I have had several interactions with our healthcare system, and it's clear that it is struggling to meet the needs of our people. These experiences are not unique; they are happening across our province, affecting thousands of people every day.

A Day Lost in the ER

Just the other day, I dropped a family member off at the Sussex Health Center. They had injured themselves at work and likely needed an x-ray or ultrasound. Unfortunately, like many others, they lost their family doctor about a year ago, so their only option was the emergency room. I dropped them off at 8:30 am, but after 8 hours of waiting without being seen, they left, having no choice but to return to work the next day. Even working full-time, this person lives in a borrowed RV because they cannot afford even a small apartment. This story is all too common.

How many of you are without a family doctor? How many have waited in an ER for hours, only to leave and hope the issue resolves itself? How many of you would struggle to afford the time off work if you needed it?

The Green Party’s vision for healthcare in New Brunswick is clear: New Brunswickers, whether in rural or urban areas, should get the health services they need when they need them, and where they need them. Right now, that’s simply not happening.

The Struggle for Basic Care

Earlier this week, I had to drive to Moncton to find a clinic that could renew a prescription for me. I lost my family doctor over a year ago, and though he prescribed refills for this medication, the refill was only for a year. This medication is something I’ve been on for five years, and without it, I would struggle to function. Thankfully, I had the means to take the time off, drive 30 minutes each way, and meet with a doctor. The appointment took less than five minutes.

While I was at the clinic, I noticed a sign that read, “Out for lunch, will return at 1:30 pm.” Seeing that it was past 1:30, I offered to take down the sign for the receptionist, who hadn’t even had time to take her lunch. She was kind and helpful, but clearly overwhelmed. The line behind me grew, and a woman begged for an appointment, having suffered from a fever for five days and unable to work. The receptionist squeezed her in, even though the clinic was already overbooked.

Why did my simple prescription refill require me to take the place of an appointment at an overwhelmed clinic? The current system is inefficient, and people are suffering as they try to navigate these disconnected pieces.

We must expand the gateway to health services by ending the physician's role as the gatekeeper to the system. Instead, we need multiple entry points, with nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, dieticians, mental health specialists, pharmacists, and others forming primary healthcare teams that work together to provide the best care for their patients. Not only would this benefit patients, but it would also incentivize new doctors and nurse practitioners to locate in New Brunswick if they knew they had such support.

A Year-Long Wait for Care

I have been waiting nearly a year for an ultrasound, and I haven’t even received a call for an appointment. Each time I call the clinic for an update, I am met with uncertainty and no concrete answers. I know several women who, in the last few months, have had hysterectomies or procedures related to common issues such as fibroids, cysts, and endometriosis. All of them have described waiting a year or more for treatment for their debilitating symptoms. If you or someone you know experiences these types of health issues, you know how hard it is to be taken seriously, let alone to get the tests you need, which are often over a year away.

This leaves people living with pain and a diminished quality of life. The same can be said of routine procedures like knee or hip replacement surgeries, where people wait in pain for what would be an effective treatment.

How many people do you know who are currently waiting for life-altering procedures?

There is a profound disconnect in our healthcare system, and everyone I talk to is either suffering through it themselves or knows someone who is. These delays and inefficiencies often lead to mental health issues, and some end up in the emergency room when they simply can’t cope anymore.

This is not a functioning system, and New Brunswickers deserve better.

Moving Forward

As an MLA, I would listen to your stories and use them as justification to push for the changes that are so desperately needed. The Green Party envisions a healthcare system where New Brunswickers get the services they need when they need them, and where they need them. It's time to end the suffering caused by a disconnected, inefficient healthcare system and start rebuilding a system that truly works for all of us.

What has been your experience navigating the healthcare system? Share your story, and let’s work together to create the change we need.