BILL 34

Family Physician Access Act

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, enacts as follows:

1                  The following definitions apply in this Act.

“health care professionals” means nurses, nurse practitioners, doctors, or other health professionals appointed by the Minister for the purpose of ensuring that the priorities on the patient list are based on medical need.

 (professionnels des soins de santé)

“Minister” means the Minister of Health.

 (ministre)

“patient list” means the list of patients seeking access to a family physician who have registered with the physician access program.

 (liste des patients)

“physician access program” means a program by which residents in New Brunswick who possess a valid New Brunswick Medicare number and who do not currently have access to a family physician may register to receive assistance in obtaining access to a physician according to medical priority and physician availability.

 (programme d’accès aux services médicaux)

2                  The Minister shall establish a physician access program to assist New Brunswickers who wish to gain access to a family physician.

3                  The Minister may appoint a team of health care professionals to assist with the assessment of the medical needs of those persons registered on the patient list to determine medical priority.

4                  The Lieutenant-Governor in Council may make such regulations as may be required to establish and maintain the physician access program and to do all other things necessary in furtherance of this Act.