Municipal election season is upon us. Barring any pandemic tragedies, on May 10 Sackville residents will be heading to the polls to cast votes for the next group of people to represent them. In an effort to help inform you about who your candidates are, CHMA news is speaking with town council, mayoralty, health authority, and district education representatives before the polls open.
This time we speak with Horizon Health Authority Board candidate, Laura Reinsborough:
For more information on Laura’s campaign, check her Facebook page.
Check out the rest of CHMA’s local elections coverage here.
TRANSCRIPT:
CHMA: In the spirit of introduction, tell me a little bit about yourself.
LAURA REINSBOROUGH: Right, so my name is Laura Reinsborough, and I’m running for the Horizon Health Authority Board. I’m a community leader, I’m a director of a provincial nonprofit, and I’ve run before in federal election, so folks might recognize my name from that. I was born and raised in Sackville, and make my home here with my partner and our two children.
CHMA: Wonderful. Do you have any history with Horizon Health, or any other experience that’s health-related that is relevant to this current position that you’re running for?
LR: Yeah, so my work is focused on food security, which is connects in with health, and as part of the wraparound supports to ensure that folks are able to lead healthy lifestyles and recover fully when they do encounter issues. So that has given me a small window into healthcare. But I also have the experience, as many of us do, of being having been a patient through Horizon and as a New Brunswicker wanting to see that we can have excellent health care services, and that everybody has good access to that care.
CHMA: What made you decide to run for this position this time around?
LR: Well, it goes back to when the hospital reforms were on the table in early 2020, pre-pandemic. A light was being shined on Horizon and Vitalité as their role in rolling out these hospital reforms that particularly were hitting rural communities, including Sackville. And at that time, I thought, “Well, where’s the decision making power in here? And who, who is at the table to be able to think through these issues?” I certainly agree that we have many issues that need our attention within healthcare services, but I don’t believe that cutting services will solve any of those problems. I was looking into the structure at the time, it’s very challenging to find information about who actually makes decisions with our health authority, and I was surprised to learn that there are eight elected positions within Horizon and Vitalité each. So that at that time, I found out who our representative was, I went and met with her and wanted to discuss how could this be [that] these cuts to services were approved and on the table. So it started back then, and seeing that if I can stand up for these issues, if I can be at that table, I think we can find better solutions for healthcare services than what was proposed at the time.
CHMA: Right. Speaking of those issues within our healthcare system, are there any particular issues aside from the Sackville hospital that you would like to highlight if elected?
LR: We’re seeing a lot in the news lately about women’s health concerns. That’s very close to my heart. We know that systemically, women can have more challenges in accessing care for women’s health issues. Also, Horizon serves 12 to 15 First Nation municipalities or communities in New Brunswick. There’s been some recent moves to be able to improve access for Indigenous persons within Horizon and I’d like to see that work continue. But really, there is just so much on the go. Coming up very soon there will be a new CEO [of Horizon] as the current CEO is resigning.
There is a new strategic plan that was just tabled on Friday. I’m quite curious to see how the details of how that ends up being implemented. And now the minister of health has made a claim to find a doctor for every New Brunswicker. How will the health authorities play a role in advancing big promises like that? Also with a new federal budget, there will be move for our long term care homes and our health care services that Horizon manages. So there are many different channels through which Horizon, an authority with a $1.2 billion budget, this board really matters to have strong representation that will hold, hold to ensuring that everybody can gain access to the care that they need, in a way that is dignified.
CHMA: Right. Speaking of the five year plan, that’s actually what my next question is about. For listeners who might not have seen or heard of the plan it’s three prong: it’s efficient and appropriate care, system wrapped around patient and client needs, and sustainability. Do you have any thoughts about that plan specifically?
LR: Well, I think that really, the devil is in the details. I think we can look at words like “efficient, sustainability, patient client needs,” it really matters about exactly how that those issues get implemented. And where are we looking for solutions? And are they really getting to the heart of the issues? Part of what I am promising in this election is that I will be a very active member of the board. If we need to meet more often, I am fully engaged to be able to ensure that we can properly look at the issues. I will do all the background research that is needed. I’m not there just to approve the proposals that get put forward, we need folks who are very active and engaged and also a level of transparency and accountability. Through the hospital reforms I think the Sackville community in particular noted that there was so much confusion around who is making these decisions and how. So when we talk about things being efficient or sustainable, it really matters about exactly how that gets done. I have the open-mindedness to see collaboration, and the tenacity to ensure that we’re making the smart decisions that will affect our healthcare here.
CHMA: What do you feel are the strongest and the weakest parts of Horizon’s healthcare system as it stands right now?
LR: I think we have an excellent level of of care when folks are able to access it. I think, probably the biggest barrier is access. So on the patient side, we’re thinking about our primary health care. That is a concern, how to ensure that everybody, urban, rural, from different backgrounds have equal access. But then there’s also so many issues, and this is coming up in the minister’s paper, around the quality of workplace for our medical professionals. There’s also so many lessons to be learned coming out of COVID-19 with this pandemic. Our healthcare workers are such essential workers. They need quality, vibrant workplaces, they need the pay equity, and the work hours, and the support of colleagues to be able to do their work and thrive in that. So that’s certainly a challenge that has been surfacing recently that I’d like to put my attention to.
CHMA: Okay. Finally, is there anything else you would like the people in Sackville, or in just the general voting populace to know about you?
LR: I think that covers most of it. I would be honored to represent this broad region, it’s a huge region, and I would be honored to represent these issues at the Horizon Health Authority. Of the 15 members, eight are elected. That’s a very tricky balance. I think every one of those positions matters that we elect people there who are willing to be changemakers.
Stayed tuned to hear from the second Horizon Health Authority candidate, Pauline Gallant, very soon.
