Open Health PEI meetings, group demands

The new agency that manages P.E.I.'s health-care system is considering whether its meetings should be open to the public, but the P.E.I. Health Coalition says there should no question.

'The board meetings will not be a dialogue.' Health PEI chair Leo Steven

The Health PEI board, recently appointed by the Robert Ghiz government, makes decisions on a wide range of management issues, such as how many doctors and nurses are needed, and what services each hospital should offer.

Chair Leo Steven told CBC News Tuesday a committee is looking into how to engage the public.Steven said it's too early to say whether board meetings will be open to everyone, but he questioned whether opening them up is an effective way of communicating with Islanders.

"If you get two or three people present at a board meeting, do you get that real communication that we're trying to achieve with broader community?" he said.

"The board meetings will not be a dialogue. There will be a board meeting where we will do our business. We will not be able to, unfortunately, discuss with the Islanders who want to discuss things."

Steven said closing board meetings would not be the end of consultation, and that any major recommendation in terms of changes to health care would involve a process of public discussion.

'Our health-care system'

The PEI Health Coalition, a group of individuals, community groups and unions with an interest in health care, believes opening the meetings is an important part of democratic functioning for the board.

'Public meetings are an important aspect of our commitment to transparency.' Alberta Health Services chair Ken Hughes

Spokeswoman Mary Boyd said open board meetings would be a learning opportunity for Islanders.

"It's our health-care system. It's paid by the taxpayers. It's a democratic way to function, by having open meetings," said Boyd.

Health board meetings in some other provinces welcome the public. In Alberta, not only can people attend a meeting of their health services board, they can watch them any time online.

"As a corporate governance board, these public meetings that we're holding here today really are an important aspect of our commitment to transparency and accountability," said chair Ken Hughes at a recent meeting.

In British Columbia, all six health boards are mandated by the health minister to hold four meetings a year in public. P.E.I.'s legislation says the board of Health PEI has to come up with a plan to "engage the public."

Health Minister Carolyn Bertram was not available for comment Tuesday.