Algoma Public Health: are there more shoes to drop?

The release of this week's blistering provincial assessment of Algoma Public Health may not be the end of revelations from APH headquarters at 294 Willow Avenue.

The document made public on Tuesday by Health Minister Eric Hoskins was a governance assessment, just one of three investigations into APH in the wake of the Shaun Rootenberg fiasco.

Still awaiting completion or release to the public are two forensic investigation reports on APH's affairs, one ordered by Minister Hoskins, the other by APH itself.

"We're all still waiting for the forensic audit from the Ministry of Health," Mayor Provenzano told a board of health meeting on Wednesday.

So far, the province has provided no update on the status of its forensic audit, nor any timeline for its release.

Secret KPMG report

On the other hand, the audit done for APH by KPMG's Sudbury office is known to be complete.

Hoskins has asked the APH board to release it to the public, but so far this has not happened.

There was considerable discussion about the secret KPMG report at Wednesday night's health board meeting.

"I understand that the audit that you've received from KPMG did a selected assessment of dispersements and didn't find any dispersements that looked inappropriate," said Sault Mayor Christian Provenzano.  

"It was requested of the board that you release the KPMG findings, and those haven't been released. I don't think a lot of the people in the community understand that there are some legal roadblocks that are prohibiting that," Provenzano said.

Sandra Laclé, acting chief executive officer of Algoma Public Health, explained that the board is interested in releasing the KPMG report but has so far been prevented from doing so by contractural obligations, including a confidentiality clause in its agreement with KPMG.

Board votes to release report to SooToday

"I'm not sure why it would be in the auditor's interest to not release the auditor's report," Mayor Provenzano said.

"That's not clear to me. I think that the community would be well served by receiving the report."

SooToday is similarly concerned about KPMG's confidentiality clause and is vigorously pursuing release of the auditor's findings through the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

After a closed-door session on Wednesday, health board members voted to release as much of the document to SooToday as possible.

But before that can happen, notice must be sent to KPMG of APH's intent to release information obtained in confidence from a third party.

SooToday will appeal unfavourable decision

KPMG will then have 20 days to advise why part or all of its audit should not be released. 

SooToday has already advised APH of its intent to appeal an unfavourable decision.

APH has retained a lawyer to help in the process of releasing the report to SooToday.

"It's the board's great desire to release as much as it possibly can, if not the entiire report. However there are contractual and legal obligations," said Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, acting medical officer of health at APH.

"I want the community to know that the issue is a legal issue and that it's not an obstinance issue on the board's behalf." Mayor Provenzano said.

Province already has a copy

Interestingly, the province is already in possession of a copy of the secret KPMG report.

On May 13, David Mowat, the provincial interim chief medical officer of health, wrote to APH board chair Marchy Bruni demanding a copy within six days.

"Please note that you are required to comply with this request within the time frame specified above, and a failure to do so consitutes an offence for purposes of the Health Protection and Promotion Act," Mowat wrote.

Bruni complied with the demand on May 15.

"KPMG has confirmed that it does not intend to interfere with APH's legal obligation to disclose our report to the chief medical officer," Bruni said in his reply to Mowat, indicating that KPMG had nonetheless asked that its audit be treated by the ministry as confidential.

Replacing Marchy Bruni

On Wednesday, at the request of Health Minister Hoskins, Marchy Bruni resigned from the APH board.

A Ward 5 city councillor, Bruni had been appointed to the board by the City of Sault Ste. Marie.

He was board chair at the time he resigned.

On Monday, City Council will face the question of what to do about replacing Bruni and filling another municipal vacancy on the board of health.

Council is expected to delay filling the vacancies until an expected new appointments process is revealed by Hoskins.

"The minister of health has indicated that the ministry will work with the municipalities in the District of Algoma to assist with an appointments process that results in members being appointed who have the necessary and appropriate skills to exercise and ensure appropraite governance and accountability," City Clerk Malcolm White said in a memorandum to councillors.

Monday's city council meeting will be live-streamed by Local2.ca.