N.B. premier pauses plan to move mental, public health nurses to different roles
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt has paused a plan to change mental and public health staffing within the Horizon Health Network following calls from the nurses' union for clarity and consultations.
Holt said she 'asked that there be a stop to these activities until meaningful consultation' were completed in a social media post Thursday afternoon.
Holt said she was 'extremely concerned to hear about the potential changes,' one day after a presentation was made to nurses and other Horizon staff.
A media availability with Horizon about changes to mental health and public health services was cancelled on Thursday about an hour before it was set to start. Horizon president Margaret Melanson and vice-president of community Natasha Lemieux were scheduled to participate.
A statement from Horizon later in the day said it was in the 'early stages' of making changes to mental health and public health, but didn't provide any details. Horizon's statement said it was committed to 'engaging in ongoing, two-way dialogue with our staff and all relevant stakeholders.'
New Brunswick Nurses Union president Paula Doucet said the plan's rollout has bungled by Horizon for the past few weeks.
'They've really created a lot of chaos that was unnecessary, had they done meaningful consultations and thoughtfulness around how they were going to roll out this information,' said Doucet in an interview Thursday, just before Holt's announcement of the plan's pause.
Doucet said the union has been trying to learn more about the planned changes ever since they were first brought up by the Official Opposition during question period in May.
Doucet sent an email to nurses on Wednesday, objecting to what she called Horizon's false suggestion to its membership that the union had given its support for the plan.
'At no point did we endorse a plan, nor see a plan, nor were we consulted,' said Doucet. 'There was no plan document shared with us. There was no back and forth. There were no numbers. It was not a true consultation, absolutely not.'
A statement from the Department of Health on Wednesday said Horizon was leading the file, and that the health authority had been directed by the province to be fully transparent with frontline staff.
On May 13, Premier Holt said nobody was going to lose their job under any proposed changes, dismissing claims from interim Progressive Conservative Leader Glen Savoie that some nurses had reported being given ultimatums to either accept new roles or face potential layoffs.
Susan Holt
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt is pictured speaking with reporters in Fredericton on June 5, 2025. (Nick Moore/CTV Atlantic)
For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
7 minutes ago
- CTV News
Bruce Power gets funding to increase cancer-fighting isotope production
Production of medical isotopes at the Bruce Power Nuclear Plant near Kincardine, Ont. is seen in this undated image. (Source: Bruce Power) Domestic supply chains for medical isotope production in Canada has received a boost from the federal government. Announced on Tuesday, the investment of up to $35 million over five years will support the project at the Bruce Power Nuclear Plant facility in Tiverton, Ont. According to the federal government, this next phase will see the installation of a second isotope production system (IPS) at Bruce Power's CANDU Unit 6 reactor, which will allow for a significant increase in the plant's ability to produce the medical isotope lutetium-177, used in targeted cancer therapies. 'Canada is proud to support research and development on medical isotopes... With this investment, we will continue to play a leading role in the global supply of medical isotopes and drive the creation of innovative health care treatments for Canadians,' said Minister of Health, Marjorie Michel. BRUCE POWER - ISOTOPES - AUG 2025 Officials make an announcement at Bruce Power on Aug. 19, 2025. (Scott Miller/CTV News London) Medical isotopes are used by medical professionals to diagnose and treat health conditions such as heart disease and cancer. Medical isotopes are produced using two overarching technologies: nuclear reactors and particle accelerators. There are currently global constraints on the supply of medical isotopes, and according to the government, the CMIE will ensure that Canada remains at the forefront of nuclear medicine innovation.
CTV News
7 minutes ago
- CTV News
Swim advisory posted for popular Barrie beach due to high bacteria levels
A swim advisory is in effect at Centennial Beach after water test results raised concerns about safety. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit issued the recommendation based on samples taken on Monday, indicating significant bacteria levels. An advisory is a warning to swimmers, but not a beach closure. Advisories are issued when the bacteria levels exceed those considered safe by the health unit. City staff have posted advisory signs, warning visitors to avoid swimming until further notice. Additional water samples are being taken Monday, and the city says it will provide an update as soon as new results are available from public health officials.
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Health Canada approves Ozempic to reduce kidney decline in people with Type 2 diabetes
Health Canada has approved Ozempic to reduce the risk of further kidney decline among patients with Type 2 diabetes. Between 30 and 50 per cent of people with Type 2 diabetes develop some form of chronic kidney disease. An international clinical trial, called FLOW, showed the risk of kidneys significantly deteriorating or failing was 24 per cent lower in patients taking Ozempic compared to those taking a placebo injection. The patients taking the drug were also less likely to die from cardiovascular disease – another condition that affects many patients with diabetes. The study, funded by Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk, was peer-reviewed and published in the New England Journal of Medicine last year and contributed to Health Canada's decision. Generic version of Ozempic, Wegovy to launch in Canada by Hims & Hers Dr. David Cherney, a nephrologist at Toronto General Hospital, helped lead the Canadian part of the trial and says the results show it's possible to reduce the loss of kidney function before patients need dialysis or a kidney transplant. 'What my patients are scared of is dialysis – dialysis or a transplant,' said Cherney, who is also a senior scientist at the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, in an interview. 'I can reasonably reduce that risk and thereby reduce their anxiety and fear of serious, serious complications. Not to mention all the cardiovascular disease, which patients are also extremely afraid of.' Dr. Ehud Ur, an endocrinologist in Vancouver who was not involved in the study, said the results are credible and that Health Canada's approval of Ozempic to help prevent kidney decline is 'great news.' 'The prevention of kidney disease is a very important goal in the management of patients with Type 2 diabetes and this is another tool,' said Ur, who is a professor of endocrinology and metabolism at the University of British Columbia. Ozempic is the brand name of an injectable dose of semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormone. Ozempic was first approved in Canada as a diabetes medication because it reduces blood sugar. It can also decrease appetite and has been approved as a weight-loss drug for people with obesity at a higher dose under the brand name Wegovy, which is also manufactured by Novo Nordisk. In an e-mail, Health Canada confirmed to The Canadian Press that on Aug. 13, it had approved Ozempic 'to reduce the risk of sustained estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline, end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular death in adults with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.' Glomerular filtration rate is a measure that shows how well the kidneys are filtering out waste and excess water. Semaglutide, or Ozempic, reduces symptoms of feared diabetes complication, study finds Ozempic is the first GLP-1 drug approved in Canada to protect both kidneys and the heart in patients with Type 2 diabetes, said Ur, noting that the cardiovascular benefits of semaglutide have been extensively studied. 'The benefit of Ozempic is that you also get weight loss, which is a very important goal for most people (with Type 2 diabetes). That's a very exciting combination,' he said. Some people experience gastrointestinal side effects when they take Ozempic, Ur said, including nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea. More severe complications can include gall bladder inflammation and pancreatitis, but most side effects are minor, he said. The benefit of slowing or stopping progressive kidney disease in people with diabetes would outweigh the risks of minor side effects, Ur said. The FLOW trial was conducted in 28 countries, including Canada. The researchers randomized 3,533 people with diabetes and chronic kidney disease to either receive Ozempic or a placebo. The study was conducted between 2019 and early 2024. Participants were followed for an average of 3.4 years to monitor for 'major kidney disease events,' including kidney failure leading to dialysis or transplantation, a 50-per-cent reduction in kidney function measured by glomerular filtration rate, or death from kidney-related or cardiovascular causes. The Ozempic or placebo doses were given to participants on top of other medications they were taking, including drugs to control blood pressure and blood sugar. Although reducing blood pressure and blood sugar have beneficial effects for the kidneys, Cherney said Ozempic appeared to have an additional positive impact on kidney function and future research can help pinpoint how that works. 'Another weapon against kidney disease is incredibly powerful. And these medicines will often turn patients around who are doing very poorly because it addresses so many different issues – the kidney, the cardiovascular, the metabolic, and the weight,' said Cherney. Ur said it's possible Ozempic could play a role in reducing inflammation in the kidneys and that might be one explanation for its positive effect. Regardless of the reason for its effectiveness, he said the FLOW trial and Health Canada's approval reinforces the importance of using the drug 'relatively early in the disease process' to minimize kidney damage in people with Type 2 diabetes.
