Liberal MHA calls for Eastern Health CEO to go

Liberal MHA Jim Bennett says Eastern Health CEO Vickie Kaminski should quit or be fired because of privacy breaches at the province's largest health authority.

"They say the fish starts to rot from the head, and thats really where the problem is right now," Bennett said during an interview on CBCs Here & Now Thursday evening.

"Its got to be right at the top."

The MHA for St. Barbe says he is "absolutely astounded" all four health authorities in the province are now acknowledging privacy breaches.

But he says the situation is worst at Eastern Health.

"Shes had the most lapses, the most problems," Bennett said of Kaminski.

He cited examples ofpatient information being discussed on open line, medicalwaste blowing arounda major St. Johns thoroughfare, along withmore recent concerns about privacy.

"I just dont think that Ms. Kaminski can stay," Bennett said. "She cant possibly be salvaged."

He says there appears to be a "culture of contempt" for the privacy of patients.

"And thats just not good enough," Bennett noted.

Last week, Eastern Health said five employees were fired since last Aprilfor breaching patient confidentiality, including one nurse who looked up the files of 122 patients. Another six workers were suspended.

All four of Newfoundland and Labrador's health authorities have now acknowledged cases of patient files being inappropriately viewed.

On Wednesday, Western Health disclosed that a single employee had accessed 1,043 records.

Central Healthlater disclosed two recent breachesthat it had not reported until asked by CBC News. In one case, an employee was suspended, while an employee resigned in the other. Both incidents involved fewer than 10 patients, CEO Karen McGrath said. In March 2011, Central Health announced an employee was fired for breaching confidentiality.

Meanwhile, Labrador-Grenfell Health also told CBC News there had been recent breaches that had not otherwise been reported publicly. Vice-president Barbara Molgaard-Blake did not disclose numbers or dates, but said employees were disciplined. No one was fired.