May 17, 2013
The board of Bethania Group has agreed to place its CEO on administrative leave while an independent investigator is appointed to look into new allegations regarding the governance and management of its personal care homes, Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced today.
Since the March release of a financial audit of Bethania and Pembina Place personal care homes, several individuals have come forward with new concerns and allegations about the management of the facilities including potential financial mismanagement, staff intimidation by management and nepotism, said Oswald.
“These new allegations are numerous and serious and must be investigated,” the minister said. “While inspections continue to show that the care at Bethania meets provincial standards, we also need to ensure that serious allegations about potential financial mismanagement and respectful workplace issues are investigated thoroughly.”
Manitoba Health raised the new allegations with the board of Bethania, which agreed that a fair, independent investigation is necessary to address the issues.
“We would like to assure all of our residents and their families that the Bethania board does take the concerns raised regarding governance and management at Bethania very seriously,” said Jake Neufeld, board chair of the Bethania Group. “In good faith, we will work with the reviewer and Manitoba Health to achieve a speedy resolution.”
The minister noted, the board of Bethania Group has agreed to cancel the new contract with its CEO, return to the original contract and ensure the items in dispute are repaid, said Oswald. This good faith gesture settles concerns raised by Manitoba Health after an earlier financial audit uncovered issues with the CEO’s contract, she said, adding the board of Bethania has also agreed to comply with all of the recommendations from the earlier audit.
In accordance with Section 56 of the Regional Health Authority Act, the minister is appointing an independent investigator to review the new allegations about Bethania and provide staff with a safe, confidential way to report their concerns. The minister said the investigation will be released publicly at its conclusion. Information about the investigation process and confidential contact information for the investigator will be posted by next week at www.gov.mb.ca/health/bethania.
“Our government values the role of faith-based facilities in our health-care system and we want to ensure that continues. It’s important to us that Bethania remain a Mennonite facility during the investigation and for years to come,” said Oswald.
MANITOBA HEALTH, BETHANIA GROUP AGREE TO INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO NEW ALLEGATIONS REGARDING PERSONAL CARE HOMES
Since the March release of a financial audit of Bethania and Pembina Place personal care homes, several individuals have come forward with new concerns and allegations about the management of the facilities including potential financial mismanagement, staff intimidation by management and nepotism, said Oswald.
“These new allegations are numerous and serious and must be investigated,” the minister said. “While inspections continue to show that the care at Bethania meets provincial standards, we also need to ensure that serious allegations about potential financial mismanagement and respectful workplace issues are investigated thoroughly.”
Manitoba Health raised the new allegations with the board of Bethania, which agreed that a fair, independent investigation is necessary to address the issues.
“We would like to assure all of our residents and their families that the Bethania board does take the concerns raised regarding governance and management at Bethania very seriously,” said Jake Neufeld, board chair of the Bethania Group. “In good faith, we will work with the reviewer and Manitoba Health to achieve a speedy resolution.”
The minister noted, the board of Bethania Group has agreed to cancel the new contract with its CEO, return to the original contract and ensure the items in dispute are repaid, said Oswald. This good faith gesture settles concerns raised by Manitoba Health after an earlier financial audit uncovered issues with the CEO’s contract, she said, adding the board of Bethania has also agreed to comply with all of the recommendations from the earlier audit.
In accordance with Section 56 of the Regional Health Authority Act, the minister is appointing an independent investigator to review the new allegations about Bethania and provide staff with a safe, confidential way to report their concerns. The minister said the investigation will be released publicly at its conclusion. Information about the investigation process and confidential contact information for the investigator will be posted by next week at www.gov.mb.ca/health/bethania.
“Our government values the role of faith-based facilities in our health-care system and we want to ensure that continues. It’s important to us that Bethania remain a Mennonite facility during the investigation and for years to come,” said Oswald.
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