The CEO of the agency responsible for home care in Ontario has been fired, CBC Toronto has learned.
Cynthia Martineau, formerly CEO of Ontario Health Athome, said supply problems in the region persisted for months, leaving people — including palliative patients — without essential items for their care.
Carol Annett, chair of the company's board of directors, sent a note to staff this week confirming that Martineau was leaving.
“For more than three years, Cynthia has led our organization with compassion, dedication and an unwavering commitment to serving patients and their families,” Annette wrote. “She has been instrumental in advancing our organizational goals and we are grateful for her many contributions.”
A Health Ministry spokesperson did not respond to an email when asked why Martineau was let go, but a source confirmed to CBC News that he was fired.
Back in the fall, Ontario Health AtHome launched new supply contracts for the delivery of medical items — a move that will prevent critical supplies for home care from showing up for some patients when they should.
Maxine Laing, who works in central command for the agency at Halton-Peel, called the change a “disaster” that is still affecting patients.
“Every day I order supplies is a disappointment, because everything is out of stock,” she said. “So our patients are not getting the supplies they need for their care.”
Affected items include basic medical products such as needles, IV supplies, catheters and wound care kits, she said. Failure to properly provide those types of items and others to patients increases home visits for nurses, emergency room visits, and can even affect safe discharge from the hospital, Laing added.
“Providers cannot meet the demands of our customers,” she said.
Back in the fall, Premier Doug Ford promised he would fix these problems.
“I can guarantee you I'm all over it,” Ford said. “It will be corrected. And the people, by the way, who messed this up, will be held accountable.”
According to an employee email, an interim CEO is taking over at Ontario Health AtHome, with hiring for a permanent replacement in the coming weeks.
