New CEO for Horizon appointed to replace Karen McGrath, who defended health reform plan

A new CEO for Horizon Health Network has been appointed Wednesday, replacing Karen McGrath, who defended a plan that would have seen a reform of the province’s health-care system, including the overnight closure of emergency departments at six community hospitals.

In an internal memo sent to staff, the network said Dr. John Dornan, chief of staff for Horizon Health Network, will serve as interim chief executive officer of Horizon Health Network.

In 2020, McGrath was one of the two executives of the regional health authorities who appeared before a committee of the New Brunswick legislature to face questions about the plan that was later halted by Premier Blaine Higgs.

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Higgs’ government faced a growing wave of public backlash after the health-care reforms were announced in February of last year.

Doctors, unions and other health-care professionals called on the province to reverse the changes, which would have seen emergency departments in Sussex, Sackville, Perth-Andover, Ste-Anne-de-Kent, Caraquet and Grand Falls be closed from midnight to 8 a.m.

1:44 New Brunswick Medical Society calls for changes in health-care system