On September 20, a provincial election was officially called in New Brunswick. With healthcare being at the forefront of public concern, it was essential that physicians make their voices heard to ensure the next government prioritizes our health-care system’s urgent needs.
To help facilitate this, the New Brunswick Medical Society (NBMS) launched the “New Brunswick’s Health-care Crisis Can’t Wait Any Longer.” campaign to underscore the urgent need for health system reform. The campaign focused on three pillars: Better Primary Care Access, Better Preventative Health, and Better Health System Support.
The campaign was two pronged, aiming to showcase both the patient and physician experiences within the system. Direct quotes from New Brunswickers were shared in a graphic format, and video testimonials of physicians from across the province sharing their stories were shared. The campaign, promoted through YouTube, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn, received over 1.5 million views across platforms, and the web page outlining the NBMS’ advocacy priorities was visited over 1,500 times.
To assist physicians in their interactions with local candidates, the NBMS developed a comprehensive Election Toolkit. This resource included key messages, statistics, and talking points that highlighted the most critical health-care issues facing New Brunswick. Physicians also received a comprehensive list of all candidates and their contact information, to create an easier line of communication.
The goal of the NBMS was to make healthcare the number one priority of all parties, and it certainly dominated the conversation. We would like to thank all physicians who collaborated with us during this campaign, through sharing their stories or engaging in conversation with candidates or the media.
Finally, the NBMS congratulates all political candidates for putting their names forward during the recent election. It takes incredible dedication to your community and a lot of courage to participate in democracy in this way. We were pleased to see most parties make healthcare the cornerstone of their respective campaigns. It is also encouraging to see that Premier Holt and her team are already showing a genuine interest in collaborating with the NBMS and other health stakeholders to implement their campaign commitments. We look forward to working with them during their term in office.
Sarah Albert, Marketing Specialist
