Updated: June 2025
In response to concerns raised by the Medical Staff Association, Niagara Health commissioned an independent review by Rubin Thomlinson LLP. While the report did not make factual findings on the allegations of systemic discrimination, it identified important opportunities to strengthen our clinical governance, policies and practices.
Building on this foundational work, Niagara Health physicians and administrators came together through the Physician Review Working Group to review and prioritize the recommendations from the report. These were then integrated with additional recommendations from a separate review of our Clinical Governance structure to form a consolidated set of priorities for the Joint Implementation Working Group (JIWG). Over the past year, the JIWG — made up of Niagara Health physicians and staff — has made meaningful progress in promoting fairness, transparency and equity in how we work together.
Key advancements include modernizing recruitment and succession planning processes, introducing a Statement of Fairness to support parental leave, piloting a revised incident reporting system for professional staff, enhancing peer-led supports, and strengthening leadership roles and development.
This work reflects our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment for all professional staff. We remain dedicated to transparency, collaboration and open dialogue as we continue to evolve this work together.
August 2023
Niagara Health commissioned a third-party independent review after the Medical Staff Association brought forward allegations of systemic discrimination within our physician group. While the report – conducted by Rubin Thomlinson LLP – didn’t make any factual findings on the allegations, it did identify opportunities for improvement within our clinical governance, policies and processes. A working group is being set up to review the recommendations and develop a plan for implementation.
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