Doctors, P.E.I. government have ‘open dialogue, honest, frank conversation’ | CBC News
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Premier Rob Lantz, Health Minister Cory Deagle and members of the Medical Society of P.E.I. met behind closed doors Thursday in downtown Charlottetown.
Deagle said the goal of the meeting was to have “an open dialogue, honest, frank conversation.”
“I think it will be a positive discussion, I hope it will be and to see a clear path ahead on where we go next,” he said before the meeting.
“They have a number of concerns and I think we want open ears, listen, but then take meaningful action as well.”
CBC News requested an interview with Lantz, Deagle and Dr. Krista Cassell, the president of the medical society, but nobody was made available.
Late Wednesday, the province announced Melanie Fraser would be “departing the role” as Health P.E.I.’s CEO.
Lantz would not say if she was fired. But her departure will cost taxpayers about $400,000 in severance.
The province also announced that Laurae Kloschinsky, who was the assistant deputy minister of mental health and addictions, is taking over as interim CEO of the provincial health authority until a permanent replacement can be found.
CBC News also asked for an interview with Kloschinsky on Friday.
A spokesperson for Health P.E.I. said, “[Kloschinsky] will not be doing interviews right now as she supports the organization during this transition.”
All this came on the same day that 93 doctors sent a letter to the premier and health minister saying they’d lost confidence in Fraser’s leadership.
In that letter, they said the relationship between the physicians and Health P.E.I. had suffered “deep damage” that is “beyond repair.”
“Over the past 18+ months, we have experienced a catastrophic deterioration in our relationship with HPEI under Ms. Fraser’s leadership,” the doctors wrote.
“We do not have faith in Melanie Fraser as our HPEI CEO. We feel the need to take this drastic step for the benefit of all Islanders as advocates for their health and our health system at large.”
Melanie Fraser is out as chief executive officer of Health P.E.I. CBC’s Wayne Thibodeau speaks with Premier Rob Lantz to find out what was behind the change.
There will be a town hall meeting on health care Monday in Charlottetown.
The organizer, Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly, had to move the meeting to a larger venue because so many people are expected to attend. It will be held at Grace Baptist Church at 6:30 p.m.
Deagle said he’s confident government can resolve the doctors’ concerns.
“It takes time to rebuild a relationship and rebuild trust,” Deagle said earlier this week.
“It can’t be empty words. There has to be action behind it and that’s what I committed to, that we will follow this up with meaningful action and actually take their concerns and listen to them and act on them.”