The provincial government has released a five‑year health plan that Premier Susan Holt says is designed to deliver measurable improvements in access to care.

“We’re talking about actions that we are taking tomorrow,” Holt said during the announcement.

“This isn’t a document that says here’s the 20‑year view and we’ll get there in 20 years. This says here’s the five‑year view. Here are the outcomes we want. Every New Brunswicker is going to have access to the right care from the right person at the right time close to home.”

The plan called “Caring for New Brunswick: Putting People at the Heart of Healthcare” focuses on six key areas:

• Primary care
• Workforce
• Seniors
• Mental health and addictions
• Acute care
• Connected care

Holt said the plan was built on feedback from residents and health‑care workers, and will be treated as a “living document” that adapts to changing needs.

She said progress will be measured through key performance indicators, including how many people are attached to a family health team and how quickly they can get an appointment.

The premier added that annual updates will be provided, with the first report expected in January.

Health Minister John Dornan said seniors’ care is a central part of the plan, with more emphasis on home‑based supports.

“When we look at our seniors care, we talk about placements in the nursing homes, but we need investment, commitment to nursing homes without walls, more hours in our homes for seniors,” Dornan said.

“How do we get people into a better place of care? That’s not a hospital. So, this will require resources, but our society needs to … accept that. There’s a cost to having better health.”

Dornan said a new contract for nursing home workers has already increased wages and helped reduce vacancies, but added that more investment is needed in infrastructure such as lifts and bathrooms to ease the physical burden on staff.

He said the government also wants to expand caregiver supports and home‑care hours to help seniors remain in their communities.

Dornan added that the province is negotiating with the New Brunswick Medical Society on physician compensation models to encourage more collaborative, team‑based care.

He noted that 10 collaborative care clinics are expected to open this year, with a goal of 30 within three years.

Approximately 77 per cent of New Brunswickers are currently affiliated with a primary care provider, but the government aims to increase this number each year.

The province is also pushing for more frequent reporting from the New Brunswick Health Council so progress can be tracked every six months instead of annually.

Both Holt and Dornan highlighted the role of technology in the plan. Dornan pointed to MyHealthNB, which allows residents to access their drug history and test results.

Dornan said the province is negotiating with international IT companies to create a single patient record across acute care, primary care, Extra-Mural, and ambulance services by March 2026.

Holt also addressed questions about the delay in appointing a provincial mental health advocate, after Liberal candidate Patty Borthwick raised concerns about the pace of progress.

The premier said she appreciates Borthwick’s long‑standing efforts to improve mental health services and understands her frustration that the process has not moved more quickly.

“She has fought hard to improve mental health services in this province for a long time, and I can appreciate her frustration that 11 months in and it’s not moving more quickly,” Holt said.

She added that the government wants the role to be supported by all parts of the mental health system so it fills the right gap, avoids duplication and adds value. Holt acknowledged that the process is taking longer than the government would like.

Holt explained that the government has already acted on parts of the plan, including opening six family health clinics, expanding the Nursing Home Without Walls program and signing a new contract with nurses.

She said more clinics will be announced before the end of the year.

“This plan is going to serve as a guide for us and our partners to make sure that we’re all contributing to build the system that addresses the needs of every single New Brunswicker,” Holt said.