Moving Upstream - Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit

Leadership Driver
Organizational
Goals
Leadership Driver
While it is understood that all staff within the Health Unit are leaders, the
intent of this driver is to focus on those who have primary responsibility and
accountability for an organization’s performance. Good leadership is founded
on ethics and values that reflect quality prinicples (19).
What is the Issue?
In the 2011 Organizational Review, strategic leadership was identified as a
concern and management was seen to be more reactive than proactive (20).
This was in part because the Directors were not able to provide strategic
leadership in the absence of Managers. In 2012, a new organizational structure
decreased the number of directors and increased the number of managers to
address this concern. The Directors and Medical Officer of Health now form a
Strategic Leadership Team to provide overall direction to the Health Unit.
The 2010 Linda Duxbury survey on work and health indicated that the
Health Unit’s workplace culture was inconsistent during times of change
and staff reported ‘sometimes’ (but not consistently) being encouraged to
provide feedback and participate during times of change by the leaders of
the organization. Sometimes there was a lack of transparent, consistent
communication and decision-making by management (21).
Four of the categories in the Organizational Standards (OS) have goals and
requirements that relate directly to the role of the Board of Health. Many of
these OS requirements are part of the Health Promotion and Protection Act
(HPPA) and are Ontario Council on Community Health Accreditation (OCCHA)
standards. The Health Unit has received full accreditation by OCCHA for the
past 20 years so many of the OS requirements are currently being achieved
by the Board of Health. Two areas require more work - Board of Health
member orientation and training, and self-evaluation. Consideration of the
OS in ongoing review of bylaws, policies and procedures will help ensure all
requirements are being fully met.
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Moving Upstream: 2013-2018 Strategic Plan
Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit