Premier Blaine Higgs replaces N.B. health minister after patient dies in ER

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs is replacing his health minister and the CEO of the Horizon Health Network after a patient died this week in an emergency department waiting room in Fredericton.

Higgs told a news conference today he was appalled to learn of the death.

The premier says health care is in crisis and structural changes are needed.

Bruce Fitch is the new health minister, while Dorothy Shephard moves from health to social development.

The premier says he has asked Horizon Health, which oversee the Fredericton hospital, to investigate the death, and if he’s not satisfied with the results, he’ll ask for an external review.

A witness this week described seeing a man in pain and discomfort as he waited for hours to be seen at Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital before he appeared to fall asleep and an attendant discovered he had died.

John Staples described the scene as a “stark and somber realization that our healthcare system is so sadly broken.”

Global News spoke to Staples, who confirmed what he witnessed.

Staples said in an interview that he arrived at the ER at around midnight, and the waiting room was fairly full. Staples said he saw a person who appeared to be in physical discomfort sitting in a wheelchair.

An hour had passed before a nurse emerged to check on that particular patient. That’s when Staples noticed he wasn’t breathing.

BREAKING: Bruce Fitch now takes the role as Health Minister. Shephard is out. @Global_NB

— Nathalie Sturgeon (@nthlstrgn) July 15, 2022

“Then three more people came out and they wheeled the individual back and called the code blue and it was confirmed that the individual had passed,” he said.

He said the whole thing showed him just how dire the health-care situation is.

— with files from Nathalie Sturgeon

More to come.

by The Canadian Press