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Some long-term care groups say the latest provincial budget doesn’t go far enough to fill the gaps in the sector that are driving problems in health care.
Improving access to health care is, according to the finance minister, the province’s number one priority.
But Jan Seely, CEO of the New Brunswick Special Care Home Association, said the system won’t meaningfully improve until seniors can get faster access to care outside hospital walls.
She isn’t convinced the latest budget for long-term care will be enough to achieve that.
WATCH | This budget increase is prompting criticism:
Long-term care budget disappoints sector groups, opposition MLAs
Some long-term care groups believe the province’s latest budget isn’t enough to meet the needs of New Brunswick’s aging population.
New Brunswick’s regional health authorities have long identified alternate level of care, or ALC, patients as the largest contributor to capacity problems in hospitals. Horizon Health’s CEO has even said she would give up part of her budget for better long-term care.
These patients use hospital space while waiting for a place in long-term care, which in turn leaves fewer beds for people in need of acute care.
Seely worries that the latest budgeted amount doesn’t reflect the urgency of the situation, as seniors wait in hospitals that are struggling to find space to admit people.
Jan Seely, president of the New Brunswick Special Care Home Association, said more funding is necessary to make a difference in long-term care. (Vanessa Blanch/CBC)
“If we can’t prioritize this long-term care file in a way that shows that government recognizes the urgency and the crisis, and the fact that people are actually dying and suffering while they’re waiting for government to get this organized … then we are failing,” Seely said in an interview.
“This is to me, it would be a disgrace if I was in government.”
Long-term care is seeing the largest increase of any budget line within the Department of Social Development — 19.4 per cent higher than the budget last year and a 16 per cent boost from actual spending.
But, like Seely, the CEO of the New Brunswick Association of Nursing Homes said it’s not enough.
Richard Losier described the funds budgeted to increase the hours of care per nursing home resident as “basically nothing” in an interview with CBC News.
During consultations for the province’s long-term care plan, which is set to be released Thursday, Losier said there were conversations about increasing the hours of care from 3.1 to 4.1 over five years.
That increase would help homes fund staffing levels that would allow for 12 more minutes of care annually.
In response to criticism, Seniors Minister Lyne Chantal Boudreau said during question period that she’s going to continue having conversations with the sector. (Victoria Walton/CBC)
“Anything less, you’re not, you’re not shifting anything positively,” Losier said. “It wouldn’t have an impact for the residents, wouldn’t have an impact for the families and especially the workers.”
But Losier said the latest budget will not allow for that increase — instead adding just about one minute of care.
“I don’t have any positive things to say about that,” he said. “I’d rather hold back my negative comments, to be honest.”
Some members of the legislature also raised concerns about how the budget will impact hours of care on Wednesday.
Green Party MLA Megan Mitton questioned whether the budget increase would have any effect in long-term care homes. (Tara King-Stewart/CBC)
“How does that fraction of time truly help the seniors of our province?” Progressive Conservative house leader Margaret Johnson asked during question period.
Green Party MLA Megan Mitton called the increase “negligible” in an interview at the legislature.
Seniors Minister Lyne Chantal Boudreau was not made available for an interview, but she said during question period that the government took many factors into consideration when drafting the budget and she’s going to continue having conversations with the sector.
Losier also worries not enough has been earmarked for new nursing homes.
“The [regional health authorities] are continuously out publicly saying this does not make sense anymore. Yet not one plan has been drawn over the last year and a half for new capacity,” he said.
Horizon’s latest figures show 268 patients were waiting in hospital beds for a spot at a nursing home, using 35 per cent of bed capacity across the network as of Tuesday.
Seely is concerned about the amount of money the province has allocated to wage increases for personal support workers.
She said it works out to an increase of about 50 cents, but many are making at or below $20 per hour.
“It’s far less than what we were really hoping for … [this] is not what we need in order to grow that, that occupation and to improve retention and recruitment for the sector,” Seely said.
While Losier acknowledged the budget has been billed as one of “difficult decisions,” as government projects continued deficits and a growing net debt, he said it’s a matter of priorities.
“I read the budget, very dire picture to be honest. I know that, but is that a reason not to do the best for those who gave to us?” Losier said.
“Let’s not forget, these are the people that have built this province and they deserve the best.”