Health unit blasted for neglecting staff after mall roof collapse

After Algoma Public Health lost its Elliot Lake satellite operation in the 2012 Algo Centre mall roof collapse, plenty of lip service was paid to the health unit's staff there.

"Algoma Public Health thanks its resilient staff in Elliot Lake who, with support from so many in their community, continued to deliver public health and community health services," said Marchy Bruni, then chair of the APH board.

Dr. Allan Northan, then APH's medical officer of heallth. thanked the Algoma District School Board for providing interim accomodation in the former Roman Avenue Public School in Elliot Lake.

"Look for our permanent new office to be constructed over 2013 and 2014," Northan said.

It was not to be.

Not in 2013.

Not in 2014.

Three years later, APH's Elliot Lake operations continue to be based in the former public school building at 50 Roman Avenue.

It was only this past week that APH finally took action, starting the process of building a permanent home for its Elliot Lake staff.

No one asked provincial assessor Graham Scott to look into how Algoma Public Health responded to the Algo Centre Mall collapse on June 23, 2012.

But Scott was so incensed at the way APH turned a blind eye to the needs of its Elliot Lake staff that he slipped a few lines of biting criticism into his report on the Shaun Rootenberg fiasco anyway.

"The specific issue of the office facilities at Elliot Lake was not part of my mandate, but it did include issues of staff morale and corporate performance," Scott said in his 56-page report, made public this past week.

"The situation in Elliot Lake is at best unsatisfactory and while the problems initiated by the mall collapse can hardly be laid at the doorstep of [APH}, the long delays and the failure of the board and the medical officer of health to appear to give very high priority to resolving them or to at least be seen to be front and centre in supporting the staff to cope with the issues in the interim, is difficult to understand,"Scott said.

"It may be demanding to give satellite offices the attention that they feel they deserve but to appear to abandon them or not provide decent quality relief is not acceptable."

"The board and management must give high priority to resolving the situation in Elliot Lake and notwithstanding tight resources should act to ensure that, pending the move to adequate quarters, that they are sufficiently supported to do their work in the community."

On Wednesday, the day following the release of Scott's report. APH dealt with the Elliot Lake situation at a closed-door meeting.

Emerging from that meeting, the APH board agreed to authorize using the final insurance settlement funds from the Elliot Lake tragedy for required renovations or leasehold improvements on a permanent location in Elliot Lake.

For any needs above the final insurance settlement, the board authorized acquiring a short-term loan up to $600,000.

Any outstanding amounts owing on that loan may be refinanced into APH's mortgage when it comes due on September 1, 2016.

The resolution approving these initiatives was passed by APH board members without apology, explanation or any other comment.

(FILE PHOTO: Algo Centre roof collapse in June, 2012)