Health-needs assessment in progress in Saint John

(GNB HEALTH) September 18, 2013 - Work has begun on a health-needs assessment for the Saint John area.

"Our government is continuing work to improve access to primary health care in New Brunswick," said Health Minister Hugh Flemming. "An advisory committee has been established and will lead this assessment to engage with the community in identifying health-care needs and how services can be best delivered. Once we better understand the health-care needs of the Saint John area, we will be able to plan for the delivery of primary health-care services that the community requires."

This committee includes representation from community partners. The Department of Health will provide funding for the initiative and will help Horizon Health Network gather data and population health information about the region.

"Our focus remains on patients and their families," said John McGarry, president and chief executive officer of Horizon Health Network. "By engaging the community, we expect to receive good information. It will help us improve our response to the health needs of people from the Saint John area."

This is the fifth community health-needs assessment to be announced as part of the Primary Health Care Framework for New Brunswick commitment to carry out 10 such assessments by the spring of 2014.

The community health assessment for Oromocto is now complete and the executive summary is available on the Horizon Health Network website. Horizon Health Network is reviewing the Fredericton assessment. The Department of Health announced last spring that assessments are also underway in the St. Stephen and Petitcodiac/Salisbury areas. The community advisory committees in these areas have been well established, and assessments are scheduled to be completed by the end December.

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For more information contact:

Sarah Bustard, communications, Department of Health, 1-506-453-6797.