Entire Ornge board replaced
The entire board of the Ornge air ambulance service of Ontario, Canada, has been dismissed as the service faces controversy over its transparency and accountability. Local media sources including the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star have reported a range of allegations over issues including executive pay at the not-for-profit fixed-wing and helicopter air ambulance provider and linked for-profit companies.
The entire board of the Ornge air ambulance service of Ontario, Canada, has been dismissed as the service faces controversy over its transparency and accountability. Local media sources including the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star have reported a range of allegations over issues including executive pay at the not-for-profit fixed-wing and helicopter air ambulance provider and linked for-profit companies. The Ontario Finance Ministry has assigned a forensic audit team to investigate the service.
The outgoing Ornge board of directors announced on 25 January that they had accepted the recommendation from the provincial government to appoint seven new volunteer board members. Outgoing Chair Rainer Beltzner stated: “These new board members bring extensive knowledge and unique skill sets to their new roles and Ornge is fortunate to have them. Ornge has taken immediate steps to begin a renewal process and regain the trust of staff, patients, and the people of Ontario.”
The new board chair is Ian W. Delaney, former CEO of Sherritt International Corporation. He said: “I am proud to assume a role where I will be supporting a team of high-calibre frontline paramedics, pilots, and staff, whose sole focus is to provide first-class patient care. They save countless lives and their commitment to Ontario patients is nothing short of exemplary.”
Joining Delaney are six respected community leaders representing a diverse background in healthcare, business and education, said Ornge. They are: Charles Harnick, principal of counsel public affairs; Patricia Lang, former president of Confederation College; Barry McLellan, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Maneesh Mehta, co-founder of the Black Box Institute and member of the board for Central Local Health Integration Network; Patrice Merrin, chairman of the board and interim CEO of CML HealthCare; and Patricia Volker, instructor at Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario.
Their guidance and oversight will ‘ensure the delivery of high quality service to Ontario patients while improving transparency and accountability’, said Ornge. Delaney added: “The new board has the collective knowledge, experience, and commitment to meet the challenges ahead. We are fully dedicated to serve the public interest, and we will strive to deliver world-class air ambulance, critical care land and paediatric transport programmes and services for Ontarians. I look forward to working with interim CEO Ron McKerlie, Ornge staff, and Minister Matthews to restore the public’s confidence and the pride of Ornge staff.”