Some physicians in the department of pediatrics say they don’t feel safe and have lost trust in the Saskatchewan Health Authority following to dismissal of Dr. Laurence Givelichian as the department head on May 16.
In a departmental meeting held May 22, doctors in the department of pediatrics pressed Dr. Preston Smith, dean of the College of Medicine, and Dr. Susan Shaw, chief medical officer, about why Givelichian was removed without cause and so close to the opening of the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.
CTV News has obtained the minutes of the meeting. According to minutes, Smith and Shaw were present to discuss the change in leadership.
One doctor said she no longer felt safe in her position, and that the decision to remove Givelichian did not appear to involve input from all department members.
Another doctor said she had lost complete trust, and that Givelichian had spent countless hours working on the children’s hospital.
Smith told the doctors that a clause in Givelichian’s contract allowing either party to terminate the contract without cause does not exist in the pediatricians’ contracts, and no one was at risk of losing their position.
Givelichian has told CTV News he doesn’t know why he was fired. He said he will stay on as a neonatologist and he will continue to serve as a member of the board for the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Shaw told the doctors that the reason for removing Givelichian is confidential and will not be shared, but did say it revolves around leadership problems.
Another physician noted a significant divide in the department and said the next provincial head will have a big challenge to overcome to unify the department.
Shaw said she was aware of a rift in the department and that it will be hard – but possible – to heal and come together. Smith also said that the level of divide in pediatrics is not acceptable.
However a different doctor said comments over a divide in the department were overblown, and he didn’t appreciate that excuse being used for the dysfunction.
