Health Plan Implementation Task Force Established

As the province prepares to release its health plan this week, the government has announced it’s establishing a health plan implementation task force.

Gérald Richard and Suzanne Johnston will serve as co-chairs to help guide the objectives in the new provincial health plan.

In a news release, Health Minister Dorothy Shephard said swift action is needed to stabilize the health-care system.

“One of the overarching themes in our new health-care plan is collaboration amongst all of our partners in the system. This task force will ensure we have a coordinated and consistent approach in achieving our goals,” Shephard said.

The new task force will be independent of government and its role will be to make recommendations to the ministers of Health and Social Development.

Suzanne Johnston has worked in health care in Ontario and B.C. while Gérald Richard is a former deputy minister in the Department of Health.

Prior to joining that department in 2019, Gérald Richard served as a deputy minister for the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development since 2013.

Richard has held several positions in the education system, at the school and district levels, and became assistant deputy minister of Education and Early Childhood Development in January 2011.

“Our responsibility is to ensure the implementation of this plan is truly citizen-centred,” said Richard.

Suzanne Johnston has over 30 years of leadership experience in health care and government.

She served as the president of Niagara Health in Ontario from 2014 to 2019. Prior to that, she was the vice-president of clinical programs and chief nursing officer for Northern Health in British Columbia.

“This is an opportunity to make a difference for New Brunswickers,” said Johnston. “I feel we owe it to our front-line staff, including our nurses, to demonstrate that we are committed to a culture of respect, caring and kindness.”

The government said last week the plan would be released on November 17th.