Connie takes charge

Sault Ste. Marie’s Connie Free has been appointed interim chief executive officer at Algoma Public Health (APH), replacing the controversially departed Dr. Kim Barker in that capacity.

Dr. Barker, who resigned on Wednesday, held two positions at APH: chief executive officer and medical officer of health.

When her resignation was announced at Wednesday night’s APH board meeting, reporters were told that Barker’s two positions would be assumed for the time being by Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Sudbury’s medical officer of health.   

Those positions have now been severed, with Dr. Sutcliffe appointed as interim medical officer of health (MOH) in the Sault and continuing in that capacity in Sudbury.

“The health of citizens in our area is our priority,” said Connie Free, APH’s chief nursing officer and director of clinical services, in a prepared statement. “I know that our staff want to keep up their focus on addressing local public health needs, and I am confident that Dr. Sutcliffe, the board of health and I will make sure this happens.”

SooToday.com has learned, however, that APH’s leadership transition hit some speed bumps yesterday as patients seeking vaccines were turned away by nursing staff who said they lacked the medical directive necessary to administer vaccines to patients.

Reached this afternoon by SooToday.com, Dr. Sutcliffe told us only a handful of patients were turned away for APH services, and all would have been given advice on accessing services from other providers.

“I haven’t had a chance to meet with staff, change is difficult,” Sutcliffe said. “I think there’s an excellent transition plan in place.”

Workplace sources indicate that not all staff concerns about APH leadership and governance have been resolved by Dr. Barker’s resignation, and Sutcliffe said she’s willing to meet with workers in the Sault.

The new interim Algoma MOH said she’s busy today signing off on medical directives and it’s her “hope and intention” to meet with staff here,

“I think it’s important during times of change that leadership have a physical presence,” Dr. Sutcliffe said.

“I admire the work of APH and its strong record of innovation and I look forward to supporting the board of health and acting CEO in any way I can,” she said.

“I would like to express our thanks to the Sudbury & District Board of Health for their support,” said APH Chair Marchy Bruni in a prepared statement.

“We are eager to keep up the momentum we have been building and are grateful to have a solid interim leadership team in place,” Bruni said.

Dr. Barker resigned amidst a flurry of questions about her relationship to Shaun Rootenberg, a convicted con man who served APH for six months as its interim chief financial officer.

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PHOTO: A cardboard cutout of a breastfeeding mother sits in the Algoma Public Health lobby on Wednesday night, as the APH board discussed the future of Dr. Kim Barker, medical officer of health. David Helwig for SooToday.