The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has updated its leadership team after recent personnel departures were announced by the organization.
Derek Miller, whose permanent role with the SHA is executive director of infrastructure, has accepted the position of interim chief operating officer effective immediately.
Miller previously served as acting vice-president of infrastructure, information and support. He has also lead the SHA’s COVID-19 pandemic response as the commander of the emergency operations centre.
“Derek has provided excellent leadership in this role, helping create and adapt our emergency response structures to the evolving challenges in the fight against COVID and overseeing an unprecedented scale up in our capacity to meet demand,” stated the SHA in a release.
The SHA said Miller’s role as interim COO will see him act as second-in-command to the SHA CEO “to oversee clinical operations for the integrated urban, rural and northern service areas as well as provincial programs.” Miller will also oversee policy and governance area for the SHA.
The health authority has announced that Raynelle Wilson has joined their executive leadership team as vice-president of enterprise initiatives support.
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The move has been seconded by the Ministry of Health, according to the SHA.
Wilson has held the role of president and CEO of the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation, assistant deputy minister of housing and disability services for the Ministry of Social Services, assistant deputy minister within the Ministry of Finance and chairperson of the Public Service Commission.
“Raynelle’s extensive leadership experience in other government agencies and ministries is a valuable asset for this role,” said the SHA. “It will help us incorporate best practices from other areas of Saskatchewan’s public sector in our processes for working with partners and aligning our priorities.”
The organization said it is seconding Wilson for six months “to provide executive leadership aimed at strengthening collaboration between the SHA, Ministry of Health and other key partners in support of achieving and reporting on priority enterprise initiatives.”
NDP question Wilson appointment
On Monday, the Saskatchewan NDP announced they have asked the provincial auditor to conduct a special investigation into processes that led to the creation of a new vice-president role for “a long-time Saskatchewan Party operative.”
The NDP said during a media availability on Monday that Wilson’s appointment to a new executive role at the SHA contributed to the departure of former CEO Scott Livingstone “requires answers.”
“The explanations for Scott Livingstone’s departure have not passed the sniff-test since day one. Now it seems that forcing in partisan operatives to SHA leadership drove Mr. Livingstone out,” said Mowat on Monday.
“It’s the definition of cronyism. We need an investigation from the auditor to get to the bottom of what happened. We already know the health minister lied about this — what else is he hiding?”
The official opposition also called for the appointment to be reversed and the position to be eliminated following an external investigation into the processes.
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