Province Releases NOR-MAN RHA Review

News Release – Manitoba
May 24, 2011

Government Accepts All 44 Recommendations: Oswald

Health Minister Theresa Oswald today released the final report of the external review of the NOR-MAN Regional Health Authority and has accepted all 44 of the recommendations from the review team.“Following concerns raised by local residents, we launched an external review to hear from patients, families, staff and community leaders to help improve the operations of the NOR-MAN Regional Health Authority,” said Oswald. “Today we are releasing the external review report and will be acting on all of the recommendations to support improved patient care as well as stronger governance and operations in the region to increase accountability and transparency to the patients and communities it serves.”

Led by Reg Toews, former chief executive officer of South Eastman Health-Santé Sud-Est, the external review team made several recommendations to improve patient care and front-line services, strengthen the governance and management of the region, and support an improved and consultative relationship with the residents, communities and First Nations in the region.

A joint implementation committee, including Manitoba Health and NOR-MAN Regional Health Authority officials, has been established to act on all of the recommendations including:

•closely monitoring the new clinic in Flin Flon to ensure improved physician access and timely appointments;
•expanding the use of Telehealth to provide more convenient local access to specialist services via video conference;
•working with the board to strengthen governance and functioning by engaging with an external governance expert and developing stronger chief executive officer performance monitoring and accountability;
•improving community relationships through stronger district health advisory committees, establishing formal relationships with community leaders and seeking public feedback through a variety of methods to help improve front-line services;
•developing strategies to improve Aboriginal health including working more closely with First Nations leadership and establishing an Aboriginal advisory committee to the board as well as focusing on a representative workforce and advocacy for culturally appropriate care;
•improving the operations of provincial nursing stations by improving communications and joint problem solving with regional facilities and considering integrating the stations into regional operations;
•reviewing hiring practices in the region to ensure they support fairness and transparency;
•strengthening the patient-complaint management process; and
•working with appropriate partners to strengthen the support for and leadership of physicians working in the region.

The external review team identified early on that a review of financial concerns required additional expertise and their final report recommended further followup by Manitoba Health. The minister noted the province has already begun an audit of the region’s finances led by Manitoba Finance.

The report, NOR-MAN RHA (NRHA) Review, was requested by the health minister in December 2010. Reviewers looked at seven areas including finances, patient-related issues, community relationships, Flin Flon issues, chief executive officer performance, First Nations issues, board functioning and governance. The final report was received on May 20.

The review team made several visits to communities throughout the NOR-MAN region following the launch of the review in December 2010 through to February 2011 and interviewed more than 150 individuals including patients, community representatives, municipal officials, First Nation chiefs and representatives, regional senior management, board members, physicians and front-line health providers as well as staff from provincial nursing stations. Dozens of emails, phone messages and letters were received as well.

The review was conducted by an expert panel of professional, experienced and qualified individuals, Oswald said. Review members included:

•Dr. Brian Postl, dean, faculty of medicine, University of Manitoba, and former CEO, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority;
•Donna Forbes, former associate deputy minister, Manitoba Health;
•Reg Toews, former chief executive officer, South Eastman Health-Santé Sud-Est; and
•Jan Currie, former chief nursing officer, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the review team for their hard work in putting this report together as their findings and recommendations will make a positive impact in the lives of patients, their families and the community,” said Oswald. “Our goal has always been to ensure that patient care was maintained or improved through this review and that the operations of the NOR-MAN RHA are strengthened to foster more openness, accountability and consultation with the residents and communities in the region.”

The full report can be found online at www.gov.mb.ca/health/normanreview/.

– 30 –