Law360 Canada (May 6, 2026, 3:47 PM EDT) -- New Brunswick has proposed legislation aimed at improving patient safety and “quality of care” through the establishment of an advisory committee, the clarifying of what is meant by “safety incidents” and improving the use of data in tracking trends.

On May 5, health minister John Dornan introduced An Act Respecting Health Quality and Patient Safety, which, if passed, will build on current legislation in place for “reviewing and learning from patient safety incidents in the health system,” according to a news release.

The proposed legislation, also known as Bill 40, passed first reading that same day.

The planned changes, states the release, aim to improve how safety incidents are reviewed, shared and used “to support system-wide learning;” strengthen collaboration among health care organizations; bolster consistency in assessing incidents; and enhance transparency for patients and their families.

It would also clarify and broaden definitions relating to patient safety incidents; strengthen processes for reviewing serious incidents; expand opportunities for “joint reviews” between health-care organizations; and enhance the use of data in identifying trends and guiding improvements.

According to the legislation itself, the changes would also have the province “establish and maintain a … Quality of Care and Patient Safety Advisory Committee.”

Dornan said in a statement that patient safety “is not the responsibility of any one individual or organization.”

“It is a reflection of how the entire system works together. These amendments will help ensure we learn from patient safety incidents, share that knowledge, and take action to prevent them from happening again.”

Increased knowledge and effective information sharing amongst those in the province’s health-care sector is key to “building a health system that continuously improves and delivers safer care” for the province’s residents, he said.

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