SANITIZING MESSAGES
Employees at the Saskatchewan Health Authority should not be operating in fear of what has been vaguely referred to as “discordant messaging.” A recent memo went out to doctors, instructing them to get SHA consent before speaking with the media, the College of Physicians and Surgeons or the ministry.
Of course the two major daily papers in the province are going to perk up their ears when this instruction shows up in an SHA memo: “If you do not want to see it in the newspaper, then do not include it in the meeting minutes.”
Accuracy should be the aim of public servants creating records — not sanitizing meeting minutes or memos to avoid uncomfortable attention. Scrutiny is a necessary tool in democracy to ensure those spending public tax dollars can be held accountable. It should not be resented or feared.
This news outlet can back up claims, based on the experience of our reporters, that the SHA does not want doctors or other employees to speak to the media without going through official communications channels. This is true even of “good news” stories.
Chief Medical Officer Susan Shaw has since clarified the SHA’S position, writing that the authority “does not have a policy, nor has the SHA ever had any intent to restrict staff or physicians from exercising their right to free speech.” The Opposition has been accused of “fear mongering” by raising this issue, but the content of the original memo is a true cause for concern — not simply “clumsy” wording.
After amalgamation, there is now only one organization administering health care in the province of Saskatchewan. Some regions — especially the north and those outside the large urban centres — were concerned that their voices would be lost with fewer boards and representatives at the table. This is just another reason for the SHA to make sure operations are fully transparent.
Health Minister Jim Reiter has acknowledged there is a need to review whistleblower legislation in light of this situation, referring to the fact amalgamation creates added impetus for this move. It would have been more comforting, however, if the minister had renounced the message of the released memo as inappropriate.
It’s not just SHA workers who are watching this unfold — it is all provincial government employees. They are tasked with both protecting the privacy of citizens and ensuring there is accurate access to truly assess how government is operating. They must feel supported in this difficult task — not threatened.