The head of CancerCare Manitoba, which has been mired in allegations of physician burnout, has announced she will leave once her contract expires next year.
A third-party firm has started to look for a replacement for president and CEO Dr. Sri Navaratnam, whose tenure has been marked by recent litigation, complaints doctors are burdened with heavy workloads and an accusation there is a lack of trust in senior leadership.
In a letter to staff, obtained by the Free Press, Navaratnam said professional services firm MNP has been contracted to lead the international search.
“I am very pleased that the (CancerCare) board has worked very diligently and taken a systematic approach to the recruitment process to ensure the best-fitting CEO for the years to come,” Navaratnam said.
“I want to ensure you are informed, as there will be a broader public announcement about the recruitment process in the coming days.”
Navaratnam took over leadership of CancerCare in 2014 when she signed a five-year contract. Her term was extended for five years in 2018, and then again last June, organization board chair Jeoff Chipman said.
The latest extension was communicated to staff in a letter that same month. It will officially expire in December 2025.
“Given the significant disruption with COVID, some priorities of the organization were not completed, and thus, Dr. Navaratnam requested a two-year extension,” Chipman said.
“The board has been planning for succession since then.”
Asked whether Navaratnam’s departure had any connection to concerns about the work culture at CancerCare, revealed last month in a letter sent to physicians by Doctors Manitoba, Chipman said it did not.
The advocacy group had surveyed physicians about working conditions after several people raised “serious concerns.”
In an update to physicians sent Oct. 15 and obtained by the Free Press, Doctors Manitoba CEO Theresa Oswald said the group was continuing to analyze feedback received as a result of the letter.
“I have had several discussions with the board chair of (CancerCare) and one meeting with the CEO,” Oswald said.
“We are listening, sharing your feedback in a non-identifiable, aggregate manner, and will continue to do so as we advocate for safe, inclusive and supportive work environments for physicians.”
Oswald noted Doctors Manitoba considered hosting a town-hall meeting to discuss the issues at CancerCare, but decided against it after identifying “a high degree of distress and fear of reprisal” among some physicians.
Instead, it intends to prepare an anonymous summary that can be used to “highlight areas of concern and the impact they have on physician well-being, recruitment and retention and patient care,” she said.
The examination from Doctors Manitoba was preceded by litigation by Dr. Maclean Thiessen.
The oncologist filed a lawsuit against CancerCare in August in which it was claimed CancerCare had reneged on the terms of his employment after recruiting him to work in Manitoba.
The agency has filed a statement of defence that denies the claim and asks the Court of King’s Bench to dismiss it.
Chipman said a request for proposal that solicits bids from contractors to search for Navaratnam’s replacement was made public in May.
The board planned to issue a news release about the CEO search today, but “always prefers to communicate with staff before a public announcement goes out,” he said.
Navaratnam is currently overseeing several significant capital projects, including a $27-million expansion of CancerCare’s research institute, made possible by a donation from the Paul Albrechtsen Foundation.
She is involved in developing a new guiding document for CancerCare, which will provide the framework for the future of cancer research in Manitoba.
“Amidst all of this activity, we must remember that our primary goal is to continue providing excellent cancer services to patients every day for the betterment of all Manitobans,” she said in her letter.
“Although we have accomplished a lot over the past year, there is still much work that needs to be done. I look forward to continuing to work with you very actively and enthusiastically for the coming year.”
tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca