News release

Minister Names Advisory Panel

Health and Wellness

Nine people from across the province have been named to the Minister's Advisory Panel on District Health Authority Consolidation.

The individuals from business, law, health care, First Nations, community, and patient advocacy backgrounds will provide feedback and advice to Leo Glavine, Health and Wellness Minister, on health system consolidation.

"I welcome the additional perspectives that this group will provide," said Mr. Glavine. "We are building a health care system focused on enhanced quality and safety and the feedback from this group will help guide our planning."

Panelist members include:

  • Chief Andrea Paul, lead chief on health, Assembly of First Nations
  • Gerald Pottier, former chair of South West Health
  • Dr. David Haase, co-president, Health Association of African Canadians
  • Peter Lewis, Pugwash Community Health Board
  • John Rogers, CEO, Stewart McKelvey
  • Joy Calkin, RN, PhD, former South Shore Health board member and patient safety advocate
  • Janet Knox, president and CEO Annapolis Valley Health and South Shore Health and chair of the CEO Council
  • Steve Sampson, Warden, Municipality of the County of Richmond
  • Jay Hartman-Berrier, chair, Central Inverness Community Health Board and a patient representative for Cape Breton District Health Authority

The panel, which meets this month, will act as a sounding board for the minister during the transition planning, which is now underway. It will help identify key issues and advise on elements such as system continuity, good governance, and stewardship of resources.

"This is an exciting opportunity to share the patient experience," said Ms. Hartman-Berrier of Southwest Margaree. "It's a perspective that must be central to any health system planning or transition, because the system serves the patient. I look forward to sharing my experience and knowledge."

On April 1, 2015 Nova Scotia will launch a new health structure. The nine current district health authorities will be consolidated into one provincial authority with a single board of directors and management structure. While the new single authority will work in partnership with the IWK Health Centre, the IWK will maintain its own board of directors and CEO.

The consolidation is being led by a provincial Transition and Design Team whose members come from both the District Health Authorities and the Department of Health and Wellness. Its goal is to present government with recommendations for the design this fall of a single district leadership structure.

To see panel member biographies, visit http://novascotia.ca/dhw/peoplecentredhealthcare .