Health authority board criticized for lack of transparency at public meeting
The first open meeting of Nova Scotia's health authority board ended with the chair being questioned about the transparency of the meeting after he refused to release a report from the CEO, citing concerns in the accuracy of any reporting on it.
Attendance at the long-awaited meeting was sparse, with fewer than a dozen people filling the audience chairs of the meeting room in Liverpool Wednesday morning.
While the meeting was public, reporters weren't allowed to record the session, as board chair Frank van Schaayk said it would be a distraction to their work.
He also refused to hand out the CEO's report, which included information on wait times. One discussion in the meeting was difficult to follow without the context of the document.
Reporters questioned van Schaayk about why a report discussed at a public meeting wasn't being made public.
He said there's a one-week window in between the completion of the report and the board meeting. He said during that week, too much could change for the media to accurately report on it.
"If there are changes made, that leads to, can lead to misinterpretation and can lead to misrepresentations in the media and we don't want that," said van Schaayk.
"There is enough emotion around the subject of health care that we don't need to add to it by saying, 'Well, this has changed or that has changed or that was misinterpreted.'"
Reporters observed that when it comes to covering public meetings, the media is often given an embargoed copy of the information, or they receive it the day of the meeting to allow for context.
"You're treating it as the release of the federal budget or something or a provincial budget. That's not what this is about," replied van Schaayk.
The conversation didn't end there. Freelance journalist Jennifer Henderson, a former CBC News employee, pointed to the $1.2-billion budget of the Nova Scotia Health Authority, and said in her point of view, the report should be released.
"That's your point of view and mine is different," said van Schaayk as the interview ended.
Beyond the question of transparency, presenters at the meeting covered a range of topics, from the accomplishments of the health authority's research department to the increased numbers in doctor recruitment.
They also heard reports from community health leaders and the Western Zone foundations, which asked for a larger role than fundraising for local hospitals.
The board plans on opening four of six meetings a year, with each being held in different communities.
The next date has not yet been posted.
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