Manitoba NDP accuses government of secrecy, demands release of health-care reports

The Manitoba New Democrats areaccusingPremier Brian Pallister's government of secrecy, saying it is making massive changes to the province's health-care system without first releasing the reports it's basing those decisions on.

At a news conference Wednesday, Health critic Matt Wiebe called onHealth MinisterKelvin Goertzento immediately release the most recent of these reports, one preparedby the Wait Time Reduction Task Force. That report was supposed to be completed by June 30.

"I'd like to hear from the government about where this report is at,"Wiebesaid.

Goertzensaid the report will be released in the fall, around the same time the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority will begin closing three emergency rooms in Winnipeg. The plan is described as themost sweeping health-care change in theprovince in a generation.

Manitobans, Wiebe said, should have an opportunity to see the same information government has access tobefore ERs close, and as the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority looks for savings to cut $83 million from its budget.

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The Progressive Conservatives appointed members to the Wait Time Reduction Task Force in late March, ahead of a series of public hearings. One of the key areas the committee reviewed was the state of Manitoba's emergency rooms.

Goertzen said the plan to closeemergency rooms came out of a report that was made public, prepared by Dr. David Peachey. The Nova Scotia-based researcher with HealthIntelligence Inc. recommended Winnipeg convert three of its emergency rooms into urgent-care centres.

Beginning in October, Winnipeg will go further than that, turning emergency departments at the Victoria and Seven Oaks hospitals into 24/7 urgent-care centres, while closing Concordia'semergencydepartment altogether.

TheMisericordiaHealth Centre's 24-hour urgent-care centre will be closed and converted to a community intravenous therapy clinic.

Along with the wait time committee's report, the NDP are also calling on the government to release two reports prepared by KPMG one looking at theprovince's fiscal state, the other looking at the health-care system.

"What we are seeing now is a pattern of secrecy by this government," Wiebe said.

Goertzensaid the KPMG reports included advice to cabinet and were meant to remain in confidence.

The Opposition saysthe cost of the three reports yet to be made public is $1.4 million.