DOCSLIB.ORG

NEWS YOU CAN USE for Immediate Release Ministry of Health 2018HLTH0007-000123 Jan

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
NEWS YOU CAN USE for Immediate Release Ministry of Health 2018HLTH0007-000123 Jan NEWS YOU CAN USE For Immediate Release Ministry of Health 2018HLTH0007-000123 Jan. 31, 2018 Third time’s the charm: Dr. Perry Kendall, provincial health officer, enters retirement VICTORIA – Dr. Perry Kendall is a legend among reporters, policymakers and the public-health world. One only need look at his office, with plaques, diplomas, an Order of B.C. and other awards covering every available space on the walls. All were well-earned during his lengthy tenure as B.C.’s provincial health officer (PHO). Still, it’s not awards and accolades that British Columbians will remember most about Dr. Kendall’s work. They will remember the kind and sharp leader, a person whose philosophy meant digging deep into the most-divisive and thorny issues facing families and people each day. “I was able to successfully step into roles independently, and maintain a progressive approach to the hot topics like the overdose crisis, harm reduction and the creation of Insite in Vancouver in 2003,” Dr. Kendall said. This ability did not come naturally. He laughs when recounting a reporter who called him during his first year as PHO, asking for an opinion on a policy. “Without checking on background, I told the reporter the policy was either really inane or really stupid. A few days later, a friend and colleague of mine called me up and said I must be taking this independent thing really seriously, because I was quoted as saying the health minister at the time was either really inane or really stupid! Fortunately, the minister had a sense of humour and never let my gaffe interfere with the professional relationship.” That incident taught Dr. Kendall a few important things about managing his role, both within the Ministry of Health and with reporters. To this day, he is known for his careful, thoughtful and respectful treatment of reporters and he expects the same back. A straight shooter praised for his balanced approach, he can only recall one instance of requesting a story in the media be corrected, one that had him saying, incorrectly, that he was “advocating for the legalization of ecstasy.” He had to set the record straight. “Given the headlines, I had to correct the story. What I did say was that I support having a conversation about potential regimes for all psycho-active substances, whereby regulated access could be considered.” As Dr. Kendall reflects on his storied career, it’s surprising to hear it is not the big, splashy public health issues (of which there are many: the Ebola outbreak, radiation from Fukushima, severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS], swine flu, and many more) that he is most proud of guiding. Humbly, Dr. Kendall points to the ground-breaking report, The Health and Well-Being of the Aboriginal People in B.C., that his office issued in 2002, which had a real role in helping create the first-of-its-kind First Nations Health Authority. “I have to say, looking back, I’m most proud of the recommendations and what our office was able to do. Former representative for children and youth Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond called the report, "the first meaningful report in B.C. toward closing health gaps for Aboriginal people.” Dr. Kendall is leaving some big shoes to step into for his successor, Dr. Bonnie Henry. Dr. Henry, current deputy provincial health officer, is ready for the role. “I’m honoured to be able to take on the position left by Dr. Kendall, and blessed for having had the opportunity to work so closely with him. I’m even a bit emotional thinking about it, as we have been a pretty good team and it will be a big void without him,” said Dr. Henry. But in the long run, she is gaining much more. “When Dr. Kendall called me to say he wasn’t ready to retire (time number 1, in 2015), I was overjoyed. There was so much I still needed to learn from him, I wasn’t ready for him to leave. We share the same philosophies about the role of the PHO and I just hope I can live up to the incredible standard he has set.” Now that the third time’s the charm for Dr. Kendall, Dr. Henry notes there may be some challenges, but some excellent growth opportunities too. “I also know that Dr. Kendall won’t be too far away and still willing to share his wisdom and sage advice,” Dr. Henry said. What are Dr. Kendall’s expectations for Dr. Henry’s taking over the position? “She will take this job anywhere she wants!” When asked why he didn’t manage to retire over a year ago and asked to come back, Dr. Kendall said, “I’ve always enjoyed working with a team of excellent people who are dedicated and committed. Together we’ve been able to hopefully influence policy in B.C. in a good way, and I just wasn’t done yet. This is the best gig in town!” That being said, Dr. Kendall’s last day in office is Jan. 31, 2018. Quotes: Health Minister Adrian Dix — “In his almost 20 years as provincial health officer, Dr. Kendall has shown dedication and foresight in all areas of public health, including addressing the social determinants of health to leading large-scale public health responses. Dr. Kendall’s landmark report tackling the health inequities of First Nations and Indigenous health had a transformative effect, playing a role in the eventual creation of the First Nations Health Authority. We have trusted Dr. Kendall’s insight and leadership as he has guided the province through very significant public-health outbreaks and challenges affecting British Columbians that were national and global in reach. I am delighted that his successor Dr. Bonnie Henry will continue and expand his extraordinary record.” Dr. John Blatherwick, former chief medical health officer — “Dr. Kendall was a great asset to me as the medical health officer in Toronto. I was on the selection team for the new provincial health officer and told the rest of the committee, there is only one person who can do the job - Perry. I still have lunch regularly with Joy MacPhail, and she asks me all the time if Perry is still provincial health officer. He was her provincial health officer many, many years ago! He took bold moves when required. As I tell him every time I see him now, he failed retirement without even trying it!” Dr. David Jones, former Canada chief public health officer at the Public Health Agency of Canada — “It’s hard to believe Perry is actually retiring as PHO. He has had such a varied and impressive career. Perry, in every endeavour, brought wisdom and thoughtful solutions to issues. He had a particular concern for those on the margins, which must be the first priority of public health, and he was highly respected for his skill and integrity. While one could give many examples, I would highlight his work as provincial co-chair of the Public Health Network Council. In this, he was the key to successfully building and navigating an effective collaboration of provincial, territorial and federal governments in addressing a range of complex public-health problems and issues. “Notable among these was the co-ordinated planning and response that supported Canada’s success in effectively stopping the H1N1 pandemic before Christmas 2009. The people of British Columbia and Canada are beneficiaries of his distinguished career.” Dr. Evan Adams, chief medical officer, First Nations Health Authority – “Dr. Kendall has been a committed and courageous advocate for bettering First Nations and Indigenous peoples' health and wellness in B.C. for many years. He is also a good friend and will be missed as a partner in the work to transform our health system. I wish him the very best in his retirement.” Dr. Eric Young, retired B.C. deputy provincial health officer — “British Columbia has had the good fortune of having Perry as its provincial health officer for the past 18 years. He has had a profound influence on the direction of public health provincially and nationally, through his leadership on issues that varied from communicable disease outbreaks to injury prevention to addiction to drugs. “Always the voice of reason, he would deftly move from the clinical details to the big picture and express himself in a way that engaged and challenged those with whom he dealt, and inspired them to address issues boldly. He is leaving a legacy of a prodigious body of work through the PHO annual and special reports that addressed a wide array of key public issues. These include women’s health, child and youth health and well-being, HIV, gambling, alcohol, food, air and water quality, and motor vehicle collisions, among others.” Contact: Ministry of Health Communications 250 952-1887 (media line) Connect with the Province of B.C. at: news.gov.bc.ca/connect.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Contraception Access Subsidy (BCAS) the Contraception Access Research Team 2018
    British Columbia’s Contraception Access Subsidy (BCAS) The Contraception Access Research Team 2018 Contraception Cost-Effectiveness in British Columbia 2018 June 22 Prepared by the UBC Contraception Access Research Team, Contraception Cost-Effectiveness Modelling Study Investigators Principal Investigators: Wendy V. Norman, MD, MHSc Stirling Bryan, PhD Principal Knowledge User: Dr. Bonnie Henry and recognizing the input over many years of her predecessor, Dr. Perry Kendall, who are the current and most recent Provincial Health Officers, Government of BC Investigators: Saied Samiedaluie, PhD (primary model development and testing); Steven Shechter, PhD (modeling oversight and expert lead); Janusz Kaczorowski, PhD; Rollin Brant, PhD; Sheila Dunn, MD, MSc; Jean Shoveller, PhD; Gina Ogilvie, MD, DrPH; Jan Christilaw, MD, MHSc. This model incorporates data collected through the 2015 BC Sexual Health Survey. See our separate report of CSHS results 2017 June 15, http://cart-grac.ubc.ca/research/current-projects/. Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IV SIMULATION ResULTs 9 A Policy Tool for British Columbia IV Simulation Results with No Policy Change 9 A model to simulate health outcomes and Health System Costs for All Women Under Status Quo 9 health systems costs resulting from policy interventions to reduce unintended pregnancy IV Simulation Results with Implementation of a New BC Contraception Access Subsidy (BCAS) Policy 10 Is it more expensive for a health system to pay for the care of unintended pregnancies, or Reduction in Pregnancies, by Number
    [Show full text]
  • Heroin-Assisted Treatment and SNAP Activism in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver Susan Boyd1, Dave Murray2, SNAP2 and Donald Macpherson3*
    Boyd et al. Harm Reduction Journal (2017) 14:27 DOI 10.1186/s12954-017-0152-3 RESEARCH Open Access Telling our stories: heroin-assisted treatment and SNAP activism in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver Susan Boyd1, Dave Murray2, SNAP2 and Donald MacPherson3* Abstract Background: This article highlights the experiences of a peer-run group, SALOME/NAOMI Association of Patients (SNAP), that meets weekly in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. SNAP is a unique independent peer- run drug user group that formed in 2011 following Canada’s first heroin-assisted treatment trial (HAT), North America Opiate Medication Initiative (NAOMI). SNAP’s members are now made up of former research participants who participated in two heroin-assisted trials in Vancouver. This article highlights SNAP members’ experiences as research subjects in Canada’s second clinical trial conducted in Vancouver, Study to Assess Longer-term Opioid Medication Effectiveness (SALOME), that began recruitment of research participants in 2011. Methods: This paper draws on one brainstorming session, three focus groups, and field notes, with the SALOME/NAOMI Association of Patients (SNAP) in late 2013 about their experiences as research subjects in Canada’s second clinical trial, SALOME in the DTES of Vancouver, and fieldwork from a 6-year period (March 2011 to February 2017) with SNAP members. SNAP’s research draws on research principles developed by drug user groups and critical methodological frameworks on community-based research for social justice. Results: The results illuminate how participating in the SALOME clinical trial impacted the lives of SNAP members. In addition, the findings reveal how SNAP member’s advocacy for HAT impacts the group in positive ways.
    [Show full text]
  • Collaborative Data Governance to Support First Nations-Led Overdose Surveillance and Data Analysis in British Columbia, Canada
    I N T E R N A T I O N A L J O U R N A L O F I N D I G E N O U S H E A L T H Promising Practice Collaborative Data Governance to Support First Nations-Led Overdose Surveillance and Data Analysis in British Columbia, Canada Soha Sabeti, Chloé Xavier, Amanda Slaunwhite, Louise Meilleur, Laura MacDougall, Snehal Vaghela, Davis McKenzie, Margot Kuo, Perry Kendall, Ciaran Aiken, Mark Gilbert, Shannon McDonald, Bonnie Henry A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T Keywords: First Nations Peoples in the province of British Columbia (BC), Canada, have Overdose been disproportionately affected by the overdose crisis. In 2016, a public health Opioid emergency was declared by BC’s Provincial Health Officer (PHO) in response to First Nations the significant rise in opioid-related overdose deaths reported in BC. New Data governance surveillance systems were required to identify trends in overdose events and Administrative health data related deaths in the province as a whole, and for First Nations Peoples. Data sharing and analysis processes that adhered to the principles of OCAP® https://doi.org/10.32799/ijih.v16i2.33212 (ownership, control, access, and possession), and to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, needed to be developed. The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), BC Centre for Disease Control, PHO, and the BC Ministry of Health have worked collaboratively to facilitate identification of First Nations persons in surveillance data for appropriate analysis by FNHA.
    [Show full text]
  • Dr. Kendall and Dr. Gustafson, Transcripts, February 17, 2021
    Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission Meeting Dr. Réka Gustafson and Dr. Perry Kendall on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 77 King Street West, Suite 2020 Toronto, Ontario M5K 1A1 neesonsreporting.com | 416.413.7755 Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission Meeting Dr. Réka Gustafson and Dr. Perry Kendall on 2/17/2021 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 MEETING OF THE LONG-TERM CARE COVID-19 COMMISSION 8 9 10 11 12 13 -------- 14 --- Held via Zoom Videoconferencing, with all 15 participants attending remotely, on the 17th day of 16 February, 2021, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 17 -------- 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 neesonsreporting.com 416.413.7755 Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission Meeting Dr. Réka Gustafson and Dr. Perry Kendall on 2/17/2021 2 1 BEFORE: 2 3 The Honourable Frank N. Marrocco, Commission Chair 4 Angela Coke, Commissioner 5 Dr. Jack Kitts, Commissioner 6 7 8 PRESENTERS: 9 10 BC CENTRE FOR DISEASE CONTROL, PROVINCIAL HEALTH 11 SERVICES AUTHORITY: 12 Dr. Réka Gustafson, Vice President, Public Health 13 and Wellness, Provincial Health Services Authority, 14 and Deputy Provincial Health Officer 15 Dr. Perry Kendall, Public Health Consultant, Past 16 BC Provincial Health Officer (1999-2018) 17 18 PARTICIPANTS: 19 20 John Callaghan, Co-Lead Commission Counsel, Gowling 21 WLG 22 Lynn Mahoney, Counsel, Gowling WLG 23 Michael Finley, Counsel, Gowling WLG 24 Jennifer King, Counsel, Gowling WLG 25 Alison Drummond, Assistant Deputy Minister, neesonsreporting.com 416.413.7755 Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission Meeting Dr. Réka Gustafson and Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Stopping the Harm: Decriminalization of People Who Use Drugs in BC
    STOPPING THE HARM DECRIMINALIZATION OF PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS IN BC PROVINCIAL HEALTH OFFICER’S SPECIAL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements .........................................................................................................................2 Executive Summary .........................................................................................................................3 The Overdose Crisis in BC ..............................................................................................................3 Decriminalization of People Who Use Drugs ................................................................................4 Chapter 1: The Illegal Drug Overdose Crisis in BC ..................................................................6 Illegal Drug Overdoses in BC..........................................................................................................6 BC’s Illegal Street Drug Supply is Highly Toxic .............................................................................7 BC’s Response to the Overdose Crisis ..........................................................................................8 Pharmaceutical Alternatives to Street Drugs as Part of a Harm Reduction Approach ........8 Key Messages .................................................................................................................................9 Chapter 2: History of Canada’s Drug Laws, National Strategies, and International Drug Conventions .........................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]