Liberals say health administrators should be held to account

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This article was published 12/12/2022 (1341 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Liberals want to make health authorities accountable to the public for their decisions by cracking open the “black box” at a time when the health care system is in crisis.

“This is just basic accountability,” said Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont.

The party has introduced a private member’s bill — Bill 217, the Health System Governance and Accountability Amendment Act — which would require health authorities to report to the legislature, just as Crown corporations are required to. They would be required to submit annual reports and have their CEOs appear before a legislature committee within 120 days to answer MLAs’ questions.

Dr. Jon Gerrard introduced the bill Nov. 30 before the house recess began Dec. 2.

It’s not the first time the Liberal MLA for River Heights, who is a pediatrician, has brought forward the bill. He did so in the last session, but it only survived first reading. Gerrard first introduced it two decades ago, saying that accountability is a fundamental principle in the delivery of health care.

Now, the bill is of particular importance, the Liberals say, given the crumbling state of the health care system, the global pandemic, and Manitoba’s wait lists for surgeries and procedures

Both PC and NDP governments have ignored calls for more accountability in health care, said Lamont. The result has been a health care system without proper oversight, he said.

“The reality is that for 30 years, our health-care system has been a bit of a black box,” said the MLA for St. Boniface. “We’ve had to have inquiries and we’ve had to have other things, but we don’t know how our money is spent. We don’t know how decisions are being made, including some really serious failures,” he said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, 56 people died at the Maples Personal Care Home and 57 ICU patients who had COVID-19 were transferred out of the province for care.

“This is just about accountability,” Lamont said of the legislation introduced. “It’s a huge gap that needs to be filled.”

While the health minister appears before a committee to answer questions about spending estimates, health authority administrators do not have to face a legislative committee to answer questions.

The Manitoba Health Coalition supports the idea but isn’t sure if the bill is calling the right authorities to account.

“I fully support the intent behind what Dr. Gerrard is trying to accomplish,” said coalition spokesman Thomas Linner.

“I have some governance concerns over regional health authorities being directly accountable to a committee of the legislature,” he said.

Shared Health, whose board is appointed by the minister, could be reporting to a committee of the legislature, Linner said.

“It has kind of an overarching governance of the different regional health authorities, and it has a responsibility for the delivery of the province’s clinical and preventative services plan.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca