Alberta’s Dr. Deena Hinshaw, relieved of her duties in Alberta by the UCP, has been hired in British Columbia as a deputy provincial health officer..BC Provincial Health Officer (PHO) Dr. Bonnie Henry confirmed the news in a Wednesday morning press release..“To help strengthen BC’s preparedness and response to present and future public health emergencies, I am pleased to share new additions to our public health leadership team at the office of the PHO,” said Henry..“I’d like to welcome Dr. Deena Hinshaw, who joins on a six-month contract basis as a deputy provincial health officer.”.Henry says Hinshaw will support the work of the PHO while Dr. Martin Lavoie, also a deputy PHO, is on temporary assignment..Hinshaw previously served as chief medical officer of health for Alberta..Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said in October that her first order of business was to to relieve Hinshaw of her duties.."This is a management problem, our frontline workers need to be supported and we happen to know in a business when they fail to meet targets and they fail to meet direction you change management," Smith said at the time.."I appreciate the work that Dr. Deena Hinshaw has done, but I think that we are in a new phase where we are now talking about treating coronavirus as endemic, as we do influenza. I will be developing a new team of public health advisors.".Hinshaw was axed in November and replaced by Dr. Mark Joffe..In addition to Hinshaw, BC also hired Dr. Andrew Larder on temporary assignment for the next few months. Larder previously worked as a medical health officer for both Fraser and Interior Health..“I feel very fortunate to work alongside such talented and dedicated public health experts and I know their expertise will be a great assistance as we emerge from the pandemic and continue to address the many public health challenges facing the province,” said Henry..READ MORE: No timeline for BC's unvaccinated nurses, mandate will remain enforced
