I wish to advise you of a number of changes taking place in the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH).

As you know, Dr. George Pasut agreed to become the Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health at the beginning of December 2006. Since that time a recruitment process has been taking place to fill the position on a permanent basis.

Over the past year, it has become clear that the heavy responsibilities of the CMOH, which entails not only that role, but also reporting to the Deputy Minister within the Ministry of Health Promotion and serving as Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) for Public Health, are onerous.

As a result, I am creating the new position of Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health, Public Health System Policy and Planning. This role will focus on supporting analysis of emerging public-health issues; renewal of the public-health system including public health leadership; governance and public health system transformation. And I am pleased to announce that, effective immediately, Dr. Pasut will assume this newly created position.

I am also pleased to announce that, effective November 1 through December 31, 2007, Dr. David Williams retains his position as Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health and will act in the place of the Chief Medical Officer of Health while the recruitment process for the chief medical officer of health position continues. He brings a wealth of experience at the local and provincial level to this role and I am appreciative of Dr. William’s willingness to assume this new responsibility.

I want to thank Dr. Pasut, not only for assuming the role of the Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health over the past eleven months, but also for his insight and input into a more equitable sharing of responsibility at the senior management level in the Public Health Division.

This announcement builds on the recent announcement that Allison Stuart has been appointed as Acting Assistant Deputy Minister for the Public Health Division following Ruth Hawkins’s move to the Corporate and Direct Services Division.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Williams and Dr. Pasut to their new roles.

Ron Sapsford