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Provincial Government Urged to End Capital District Health Controversy

 

(Halifax - June 23, 2004) Representatives of Nova Scotia's medical and academic communities are calling on the Hamm government to resolve the ongoing dispute between Dr. Gabrielle Horne and the Capital District Health Authority (CDHA).

"The career of one of Nova Scotia's most talented and promising medical researchers is being jeopardized by delays and broken promises," said James Turk, executive director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers. "It's time for the provincial government to step in and resolve this matter."

Dr. Gabrielle Horne, an assistant professor of medicine at Dalhousie University and a researcher in the field of heart failure, had her clinical privileges abruptly altered by the CDHA in October 2002. A negotiated settlement in the dispute was reached a year ago, but the hospital is refusing to implement the terms of the agreement.

"I thought this nightmare had come to an end last June when an agreement was reached with the CEO of Capital Health and the vice-president of Dalhousie University," Dr. Horne said. "One year later, the agreement hasn't been implemented and, just last week, Capital Health told me they would no longer provide bridge funding for my lab staff until this is resolved."

"We call on the Capital Health Board to implement the agreement of June 2003," stated Colin Stuttard, former president of the Dalhousie Faculty Association. "Capital Health must allow Dr. Horne to resume her important clinical research and her duties as a Dalhousie Clinical Scholar."

The Canadian Association of University Teachers is the national voice of more than 35,000 academic staff committed to improving the quality and accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada.