Health
Minister Chris d'Entremont says
Speaking
in the legislature Friday, d'Entremont said the cost of health care is rising by eight per
cent every year.
"We
really have to keep everything on the table at this point because the things we're doing
today are not working to the expectations of Nova Scotians," he said.
"We
need to have a full review of what our options are in order to deliver services to Nova
Scotians, so if that means some kind of private delivery it would be very important to
look at those options."
D'
Entremont is not saying which private services may be cheaper or may reduce waiting times
in hospitals.
There are
already three private clinics in the province, and the minister said he hasn't heard of
any new ones opening. He also said his department is not working on any plans to hand over
services to the private sector.
But the
mere hint of more private medicine has NDP health critic Dave Wilson sounding the alarm.
"If
the minister is going to stand up and say everything's on the table then he should be able
to provide us with a plan,"
The
provincial government must come up with a list of health services that should remain
public, he added.
D'Entremont said he'll bring in a bill this fall to do just that