(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – As Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health and Wellness, I want to take this opportunity to clear the air on a number of issues which have surfaced in recent times which seem to undermine the efforts of the Department of Health and Wellness to advance or improve the provision of services within the health sector.

First of all, let me reassure all staff members of the three institutions which comprise the Millennium Heights Medical Complex, namely the Victoria Hospital which is being transitioned into the OKEU hospital, the National Mental Wellness Centre and the Turning Point Rehabilitation Centre that I have no directive to have any of our staff members resign their positions in order to facilitate applications to the new Statutory organization. In fact, often times the policy makers have tried to reassure staff members of their security of tenure and the fact that no one will be losing their jobs as a result of our commissioning efforts.

As the administrative head of the Department of Health and Wellness, administrative directives which are issued to staff and management come under my purview and no other office.

The issue of reapplication for any position at the Millennium Heights Medical Complex bears weight if the consideration of a Public Private Partnership is being explored and would be determined by the conditions agreed to in the Public Private Partnership, so there is nothing definite about reapplication for any job. It may be one of several other options in the issue of transitioning of staff to the Millennium Heights Medical Complex.