About Primary Health Care
Primary health care is the first point of contact for receiving care and/or services and precedes any referral elsewhere within the health system. It focuses on health promotion, illness and injury prevention, and the diagnosis and treatment of illness. This sector includes Primary care, emergency services, and public health.
Primary health care is essential to helping citizens remain healthy, preventing illnesses, and managing chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease or mental health conditions.
Primary health care includes primary care services generally provided by a family doctor or nurse practitioner as well as health promotion services through public health nurses.
Examples of services include: medical appointments, walk-in clinics, mental health services, virtual care, public health services (vaccinations, sexual health, etc.), and emergency services (ambulances and emergency services).
Key Observations
• Within New Brunswick, the percentage of citizens who have a permanent primary care provider continues to decline, going from 93% in 2017 to 79% in 2023.
• The percentage of New Brunswickers who were able to see their primary care provider within five days has not improved compared to 2022, with only 1 in 3 citizens being able to see their provider within 5 days.
