Department of Health (New Brunswick)

The Department of Health is a part of the Government of New Brunswick. It is charged with administration and delivery of public healthcare in New Brunswick.

History

The department was first established in 1918 as the Department of Health and Labour and gradually grew in importance, splitting in two in 1944 with one section becoming the Department of Health. It began to grow rapidly in the 1960s when Premier Louis Robichaud's equal opportunity program consolidated jurisdiction for health with the province as opposed to local governments and also with the introduction of public medicine in the same decade.

The department eventually came to be named the Department of Health and Community Services as it gained responsibility for new programs such as long-term care in nursing homes, local psychological services and so on. On March 23, 2000 when Premier Bernard Lord restructured the New Brunswick Cabinet. He split the department with the health delivery sections of the department becoming the Department of Health and Wellness, while the long-term care and community psychological services joined with other branches of government to form the Department of Family and Community Services. "Wellness" was included in the name of the new department to draw focus to that relatively new paradigm on which the government intended to focus. On February 14, 2006, it was again split with the Wellness promotion aspects being joined with the Culture and Sport Secretariat to form the new Department of Wellness, Culture and Sport.

Health authorities The Department of Health funds two health authorities to deliver operational medical services in the province:

Horizon Health Network Vitalité Health Network

Ministers

#MinisterTermAdministrationMinister of Health and Labour1.William RobertsOctober 4, 1918 – February 28, 1923under FosterWilliam Roberts (continued)February 28, 1923 – September 10, 1925under Véniot2.Henry I. TaylorSeptember 14, 1925 – May 18, 1931under BaxterHenry I. Taylor (continued)May 18, 1931 – June 11, 1933under RichardsHenry I. Taylor (continued)June 11, 1933 – July 12, 1935under L. P. D. TilleyWilliam Roberts (2nd time)July 16, 1935 – February 10, 1938under DysartJohn B. McNair (acting)February 10, 1938 – July 16, 19383.Pio LaporteJuly 16, 1938 – July 29, 1939John B. McNair (acting again)July 30, 1939 – March 13, 19404.J. André DoucetMarch 13, 1940 – September 27, 1944under McNairMinister of Health5.Frederic McGrandSeptember 27, 1944 – October 8, 1952under McNair6.John F. McInerneyOctober 8, 1952 – July 8, 1960under Flemming7.Georges DumontJuly 8, 1960 – July 4, 1966under Robichaud8.Stephen WeymanSeptember 15, 1966 – November 20, 19679.Norbert ThériaultNovember 20, 1967 – November 12, 197010.Paul CreaghanNovember 12, 1970 – July 18, 1972under Hatfield11.Lawrence GarvieJuly 18, 1972 – December 3, 197412.G. W. N. CockburnDecember 3, 1974 – December 20, 197613.Brenda RobertsonDecember 20, 1976 – October 30, 198214.Charles GallagherOctober 30, 1982 – October 3, 1985Minister of Health and Community Services15.Nancy Clark TeedOctober 3, 1985 – October 27, 1987under Hatfield16.Raymond FrenetteOctober 27, 1987 – October 9, 1991under McKenna17.Russell KingOctober 9, 1991 – October 14, 1997Russell King (continued)October 14, 1997 – May 14, 1998under Frenette18.Ann BreaultMay 14, 1998 – June 21, 1999under ThériaultMinister of Health and Wellness19.Dennis Furlong1June 21, 1999 – October 9, 2001under Lord20.Elvy RobichaudOctober 9, 2001 – February 14, 2006Minister of Health21.Brad GreenFebruary 14, 2006 – October 3, 2006under Lord22.Mike MurphyOctober 3, 2006 – June 22, 2009under Graham23.Mary SchryerJune 22, 2009 – October 12, 201024.Madeleine Dube October 12, 2010 – September 5, 2012under Alward25.Ted Flemming September 6, 2012 – October 7, 201426.Victor Boudreau October 7, 2014 – September 4, 2017under Gallant27.Benoit Bourque September 4, 2017 – November 9, 201828.Ted FlemmingNovember 9, 2018 – September 29, 2020under Higgs29. Dorothy ShephardSeptember 29, 2020 – July 15, 202230.Bruce Fitch July 15, 2022 – November 2, 202431.John Dornan November 2, 2024 – PresentUnder Holt

1 Furlong was Minister of Health and Community Services until March 23, 2000 after which he was Minister of Health and Wellness.

External links Department of Health