Nelson’s Pat Dooley has been appointed to the Interior Health Authority board. Appointed in March, she officially steps into her role as one of nine directors on August 31.
Her previous career as a school superintendent and her years of volunteering on various boards providing leadership and strategic planning will continue to be an assets for her new role on the board. It was those experiences that lead her to apply to be a IHA board member.
“I have done a fair bit of board work in the past for the province. I served on the Nelson Municipal Police Board for six years and I currently chair a Provincial Assessment Review Panel and am a director on the Selkirk Board,” explained Dooley.
“ I have had a couple of discussions about the Interior Health Authority Board over the past couple of years but had some things I wanted to work on as chairperson of the Kootenay Lake Hospital Foundation. I think that healthcare and public education are two vitally important areas which make a huge difference to society. Thus,I decided that the time was right for me to become part of this important board.”
In December 2001, authority for the governance and management of most health services was transferred to five regional health authorities. In addition, there is one Provincial Health Services Authority.
According to the BC government website, the Interior Health Authority is primarily responsible for:
• Identifying regional health needs and planning appropriate programs and services;
• Ensuring that programs and services are properly funded and managed;
• Managing the delivery of health services in their respective areas;
• Meeting performance objectives set by their regions, and;
• Ensuring community input into health service planning and evaluation for their areas.
Dooley will be attending her first monthly board meeting in October and has been involved in orientation over the past few months. In an email she wrote, “I have lots to learn. Overall, we know that there is always the challenge of putting resources to the best use possible and that there are many demands on health care resources.”
She knows “there will be a fairly big time commitment in terms of reading, attending meetings and attending specific functions in our area. I never take on anything that I do not feel I can handle in terms of both time commitment and belief in the importance of the work. I am going to stick with most of my other volunteer commitments but will be leaving the Hospital Foundation after our meeting on September 2.”
Dooley has served on the foundation board for nine years and is its present chair.
“When I retired as school superintendent, I hoped that I would be able to utilize my skills in roles such as those I am now involved with. I want to make a positive contribution to our community and country. To me, the best way to do that is to offer your time and skills in areas where there is a need. I believe that I am a person who can both advocate for our area and see the big picture. We have to think of the greater good and about the best ways to provide quality service. I am looking forward to this new challenge very much."
Dooley replaces long-standing board director and Nelson resident Glenn Sutherland, who retired from the board when his term expired on March 31.
Interior Health’s board consists of nine directors appointed by the Minister of Health through a process established by the government’s board resourcing and development office.
“The goal of the appointment process is to select the most qualified men and women who have the highest personal and professional integrity to serve the public on the province’s boards, agencies and commissions,” stated Ministry of Health spokeswoman Kristy Anderson in an email.
“Anyone in BC can apply to be a part of the Interior Health board or any of the 300 boards, agencies or councils to which the provincial government makes appointments.”