New Brunswick health minister says close to 400 jobs will be cut this year

FREDERICTON – New Brunswick Health Minister Hugh Flemming says almost 400 jobs will be eliminated from the province’s health care system during the next year as the government looks to cut costs.

Flemming says the changes are needed to rein in spending so that per capita health care costs are closer to the national average of about $4,000.

He says New Brunswick spends about $325 above that.

The Vitalite Health Network, which runs the province’s francophone hospitals, has announced it will cut 200 full-time equivalent positions this year.

The health board says that’s the first phase of a plan announced in February to cut 400 positions over three years.

The Horizon Health Network, which oversees anglophone hospitals, says it will cut 131 jobs this year as part of its effort to cut spending by $22 million.

Flemming says another 57 jobs will be cut at FacilicorpNB, which handles non-clinical services for the Health Department.

FacilicorpNB is also consolidating some of the laundry services for the province’s hospitals in an effort to save $2.4 million.

Flemming also says about 40 positions will be cut from the Department of Health over the next two years.