Surgical Task Force Members Announced

  • Executive Council
  • Health and Community Services

June 16, 2022

In an effort to address the multiple health system shutdowns in Newfoundland and Labrador resulting from the state of emergency  experienced with the January 2020 blizzard followed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the cyber attack on health care IT systems, a task force has been established to tackle the current surgical backlog. Following meetings with the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association, the Provincial Government committed to establishing a task force to look at the surgical backlog and provide meaningful solutions.

The surgical backlog task force members are:

  • Rod Martin – Former Chief of Surgery, Eastern Health (Co-Chair)
  • Andrée Robichaud – Chief Executive Officer, Central Health (Co-Chair)
  • Vanessa Mercer-Oldford – Assistant Deputy Minister, Regional Services, Department of Health and Community Services
  • Debbie Walsh – Vice President of Clinical Services and Chief Nurse, Eastern Health
  • Greg Browne – Chief of Staff, Eastern Health
  • Cherry Pike – Clinical Chief of Children and Women’s Health, Eastern Health
  • Mark Spurrell – Chief of Surgery, Central Health
  • Scott Mackenzie – Chief of Surgery, Western Health
  • Antoinette Cabot – Vice President of Clinical Services, Labrador Grenfell Health
  • Yvette Coffey – President, Registered Nurses Union of Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Nicole Parsons – Regional Representative, Registered Nurses Union of Newfoundland and Labrador Board of Directors
  • Will Moores – Orthopedic Surgery, Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association
  • Matthew Andrews – Urology, Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association
  • Chris Cox – General Surgery, Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association
  • Lesley Johnston  – Anesthesiology, Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association

Recently, the Provincial Government announced initiatives to help address the surgical backlog in the province. These include a partnership with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute to address the waitlist for cardiac surgery, as well as a plan to perform hip and knee joint replacement surgeries on an outpatient basis for suitable candidates.

Also, the Federal Government announced $2 billion in additional health care funding – of which approximately $27 million will go to this province – to help deliver quicker access to health care, reduce the backlog accumulated during the pandemic and support additional surgeries.

Quotes
“I am very pleased with the composition of the task force we have established, as it represents the right mix of individuals to find innovative solutions to address the surgical backlog in our province. Thank you to each of them for stepping up, and to our stakeholders for their continued commitment to working together to address the challenges in our health care system. This task force is another step forward in our efforts to realign and reimagine the delivery of health care in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

“Similar to other jurisdictions in Canada, our health care system had to reduce services in order to be responsive to potential increases in COVID-19 patients. We were also faced with adverse weather and a cyber attack that impacted health IT systems. I am delighted that, in concert with the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association, we have established a task force with an aim of developing a plan forward regarding the backlog of surgeries.”
Honourable John Haggie
Minister of Health and Community Services

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Learn more
News Release: Premier Furey Announces New Approach to Address Surgical Backlogs for Hip and Knee Replacement Surgeries

News Release: Premier Furey Announces Agreement with University of Ottawa Heart Institute

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Media contacts
Meghan McCabe
Office of the Premier
709-729-3960
meghanmccabe@gov.nl.ca

Laura Thomas
Health and Community Services
709-729-6986
laurathomas@gov.nl.ca

2022 06 16 10:30 am