Health board requests a boost to the number of surgeons at Summerside hospital

Health P.E.I. asks provincial cabinet to increase complement from three to four

WOODSTOCK — Acting on what was described as a challenge by P.E.I. Premier Dennis King, the board of Health P.E.I. has adopted a motion to increase the number of surgeons at the Prince County Hospital from three to four.

The board approved the motion during a meeting on June 3, held at the Mill River Resort.

Speaking during the meeting, Health P.E.I. board chair Derek Key referred to a recent meeting between King, Summerside Mayor Basil Stewart and council, held to address concerns about planned departures of surgeons at PCH.

The hospital currently has a complement of three surgeons.

“We were challenged directly by the premier in a public meeting recently where he indicated that if the general surgeon concerns at the Prince County Hospital were going to be addressed then he anticipated that Health P.E.I. would make a recommendation to add a fourth general surgeon,” Key told board members.

“As you know we’ve done that.”

Health P.E.I. interim CEO Michael Gardam said the current schedule for general surgeons can mean they are on call one out of every three nights. This means their workdays are onerous and longer than most other professions would consider acceptable.

“One of the main reasons to go to four people is they can be on call one out of every fourth night. So that helps with retention,” Gardam said.

Gardam also said there is a significant backlog of surgeries, as well as a lengthy waitlist. Increasing the PCH complement of surgeons will help address this.

The issues with PCH departures can be traced back to the retirements of three surgeons between March 2019 and March 2020. Two permanent surgeons and one long-term locum — or temporary surgeon — were hired to replace them.

One of the permanent surgeons ended up taking administrative leave in late 2020. Soon afterward, a short-term locum began working at PCH.

The other permanent surgeon has resigned but is working until the end of June. The contract of the shortterm locum will also expire at the end of June.

The long-term locum will be remaining, according to Health P.E.I. The province is hoping to hire at least two other surgeons.

TEPID REVIEW

The board also heard a presentation by Martin Ruben, a member of the public whose past work experience included roles with the auditor general in the Cayman Islands.

Ruben presented a critique of the governance structure of Health P.E.I. He argued that Health P.E.I. lacks a strategic direction for health care and has “weak accountability” between its CEO and Health P.E.I. board. Health P.E.I. lacks internal audits, Ruben argued, and should establish a health ombudsperson who can investigate complaints by patients.

He also said an accountability framework document, outlining the distinct roles of the minister of health and Health P.E.I. in relation to the health system, did not appear to exist.

“It doesn’t exist,” confirmed Key.

“It’s being developed,” Randy Goodman, another board member, said.

P.E.I.’s Health Services Act says Health P.E.I. should “operate in accordance with any accountability framework,” set out by the minister of health.

Overall, Ruben suggested the Health P.E.I. board should directly hire the CEO. Cabinet currently selects the CEO of Health P.E.I.

A recent amendment to the legislation introduced by Green MLA Trish Altass will require cabinet to make a selection from a list of candidates recommended by the board.

“It should be you folks at the centre (of governance). And the minister’s role, the minister’s responsibility should be taken out of the law that exists today,” Ruben said.

In remarks after Ruben’s presentation, Key appeared sympathetic and agreed internal audits should be completed. He also said the board was interested in putting a health ombudsperson in place.

“We would do well to focus on those things that are in our control,” Key said. “Those things that fall within the realm of our political masters we’ll leave to our political masters.”